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Whittier council directs manager to craft fiscal strategies, approves cultural grants and fee waivers
Summary
The Whittier City Council directed the City Manager to prepare options for long-term fiscal sustainability and transparency and approved $233,457 in fee waivers plus multiple one-time cultural appropriations and a $200,000 community investments allotment for FY 2026-27.
The Whittier City Council on May 26 directed City Manager Conal McNamara to return with options and implementation timelines to strengthen the City’s long-term financial sustainability, transparency and community-investment processes.
Council Member Vicky Santana moved that staff "review the City’s financial policies, budget practices, reserve strategies, infrastructure and community investment needs, staffing policies, and long-term fiscal sustainability goals," a motion seconded by Council Member Aida Macedo and later amended to reference Measure W and require an MOU for community partnerships. The amended motion passed 4-0-1, with Council Member Cathy Warner recorded as abstaining.
The council also approved a package of programmatic and operational budget items for FY 2026-27. By motion, members included $233,457 in fee waivers for special events and banners, $15,000 to increase digital resources, elimination of the $1 library hold fee, and one-time appropriations of $30,000 for Whittier Shakes Theatre Co., $10,000 to the Whittier Area Chamber of Commerce, and $20,000 to the Whittier Historical Society & Museum.
Separately, the council approved a $200,000 allotment for community investments, sponsorships and cultural programming; that motion passed 4-1, with Warner dissenting.
Council members questioned staff about estimated revenues and expenditures, the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) requirements, funding and privacy for the drone first responder (DFR) program, the funding source and lifecycle costs for a proposed streetsweeper, translation costs for the Whittier 365 application, BATT-X vehicle funding, reserve balances, a Whittier Boulevard relinquishment payment, and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) fund uses. Council Member Cathy Warner asked staff to include Senate Bill 1123 in future RHNA reporting.
The City Manager was tasked to return with an options memo that addresses: maintaining structural fiscal health; strengthening budgeting transparency (including Measure W); stewardship of infrastructure and neighborhood quality of life; evaluating revenue options; enhancing community engagement in budget development; and establishing equitable processes for discretionary community investments and partnerships.
The council will consider the City Manager’s recommendations in a future meeting.
