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Council reviews budget adjustments, new program requests and a proposed parkland acquisition reserve
Summary
Finance director presented baseline adjustments and new program requests including upgrades to public‑safety evidence software, IT licensing, a proposed $600,000 parkland acquisition reserve, a hot‑box asphalt unit for neighborhood streets and options for financial software; mayor recommended many items and held some pending additional info.
The council reviewed a large set of baseline adjustments and new program requests tied to the 2025–26 budget. Deb Hoover (S17) summarized recommended baseline adjustments (training, Axon body‑camera evidence upgrades, evidence‑room software, parks and public works overtime, and several position reclassifications) and a range of new program requests.
Notable new program items included a proposed parkland acquisition reserve (staff presented the idea of seeding a land‑bank fund to be used for future park purchases), a hot‑box asphalt unit recommended to be funded from Neighborhood Streets, and an evaluation of financial and HR software with a potential multi‑year replacement (staff estimated a larger finance‑software project could approach a mid‑six‑figure cost). The mayor recommended some items while placing others on a "wait" pending more information (for example, canine training was suggested to be funded from drug‑enforcement funds rather than general fund; some staffing additions were deferred pending revenue from new programs and traffic‑camera revenues).
Council requested more time to digest detailed spreadsheets and scheduled follow‑up at the next meeting; staff offered to provide a manipulable spreadsheet so councilors could test different scenarios. Councilors emphasized priorities such as safeguarding construction funds for the ongoing Nordic cottages project and recommended reserving money for strategic land purchases rather than spending all reserves now.
