Belmont council approves 15-item consent agenda including street closures and budget cleanups

The Belmont City Council approved a 15-item consent agenda on Aug. 3 that included minutes approvals, event permits and several budget housekeeping items.

City staff member Miles presented the consent packet and summarized key items, saying, "Tonight for consent agenda, you have 15 items." The packet included an ordinance to authorize the closure of Hill Street and sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages during the Sept. 5, 2026 literary festival (with a later clarification of the consumption area); ordinances to close roads for the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot and the annual Christmas tree lighting; surplus requests from the fire department (self-contained breathing apparatus) and public works (water and wastewater plant generators); proposed edits to Chapter 93 covering open burning, Knox box requirements and fireworks; an enterprise fund fee-schedule update; a reimbursement resolution associated with two recently purchased fire trucks and a fiscal year 2026 final budget amendment.

Finance staff described the budget amendment as recognizing $798,000 in surplus local option sales tax revenue within the general fund and noted overall revenues exceeded projections by an estimated $3,000,000. Miles said the reimbursement resolution tied to the fire truck purchases accounts for $2,750,000 and will be processed once the city obtains a loan from the Local Government Commission.

After brief questions and amendments relating to the literary festival permit, a motion to approve the consent agenda was made and seconded; the council voted in favor and the consent agenda passed. Mayor Joe Jordan declared, "The agenda is set."