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Tumwater staff: biennial budget will rely on some reserves; staffing fills reduced 2025 underspend
Summary
City staff told the committee the 2026 budget used about $5.5 million in reserves to balance; 2025 had $6 million in savings that cushioned 2026. Staff signaled they expect to dip into reserves again this year but likely not to the planned $5.5 million and emphasized tightening spending culture as positions were filled.
Committee members asked how prior use of reserves affects the next biennial budget. Paul, a city staff member, noted many positions were added in the biennial budget and it took time in 2025 to fill them; those hiring dynamics produced underspending in 2025 that helped the 2026 position. "We're a little bit closer to fuller staff now, so we anticipate this year we'll be dipping in, but it likely, as Troy said, it won't be, hopefully, our hope is that it's not the full amount," Paul said.
Paul described the staff presentation (the 'Tumwater Times' budget message) as recorded and available, and urged councilmembers to review it. He used an analogy to describe the budget posture: "our budget right now is a big, bridal, flashing yellow light," urging a pause and review of what the city needs versus wants as staff prepare the mayor's proposed budget by Aug. 31. Staff reiterated they will share updated materials and refine line-item context, including expanding the "miscellaneous" annotations that council requested.
Why this matters: staffing levels, reserve draws, and the process for reviewing enhancement requests shape how the mayor and council prioritize services and potential cuts across the upcoming biennial budget.
