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Langley officials say city cannot afford administrator as they prioritize balancing 2026 budget
Summary
Finance Director Kelly Beech told the City Council that under multiple five‑year budget scenarios the city cannot add a City Administrator and still meet the Council’s minimum fund balance goal of $634,500. The council agreed balancing the 2026 budget is the top priority and will revisit the work plan in that context.
Finance Director Kelly Beech presented the City’s five‑year General Fund projections to the Langley City Council on Sept. 2 and concluded the city lacks room for discretionary spending. Beech said the City cannot afford to add a City Administrator at a base salary of $100,000 with benefits and meet the Council’s minimum fund balance target of $634,500.
Beech outlined model assumptions that produced unsustainable projections: maintaining the current PEBB benefits provider (or switching to AWC), reducing police staffing to two regular deputies plus one chief in some scenarios, not providing a cost‑of‑living adjustment in others, and relying on potential increased revenue from a Public Safety Tax. The presentation included a mayoral priority list (M‑items) with itemized cost estimates and notes; examples include a 3% COLA estimated at $40,000 recurring (M‑1), an accounting assistant increase from 0.8 FTE to 1.0 FTE estimated at $14,212 recurring (M‑2), an IT/cloud transition estimated at $35,000–$45,000 one time (M‑3), and a City Hall roof replacement estimated at $250,000 one time (M‑13).
Council members asked follow‑up questions and agreed the Council’s 2026 work plan will be reviewed again in the budget context so that staffing and program decisions align with available funds. The budget materials referenced the 2026 Budget Mission Statement & Fiscal Goals adopted via Resolution 861 on June 2, 2025. The minutes record Director Beech’s summary statement: "The City cannot afford an Administrator and meet its minimum fund balance requirements as set by Council."
