Piedmont council approves $2.6 million year‑end transfers to rebuild capital and maintenance reserves

Piedmont’s City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 3 to move $2.6 million from the general fund into designated capital and maintenance reserves and to approve intra‑fund transfers to cover departmental year‑end variances.

The transfer package directs $1.5 million to the facilities capital fund, $850,000 to the equipment replacement fund and $250,000 to the facilities maintenance fund. City Administrator (read into the record during the motion) framed the transfers as closing out FY24–25 within the council‑approved envelope while strengthening reserves. Vice Mayor moved the staff recommendation; Council member Long seconded the motion and the vote was unanimous.

Council also approved three intra‑general‑fund moves to align departments with actual year‑end spending: $189,500 from police to fire, $175,500 from administration to non‑departmental, and $56,500 from administration to recreation. Finance Director Karen Bawa told the council the transfers do not require new general‑fund appropriations because the city’s revenues and underspending created the year‑end surplus used for these adjustments.

The council discussed timing of the external audit and staff said audited financial statements should be available in mid‑November with a fuller presentation to council in January. Mayor Anderson and council members repeatedly noted concerns about the long‑term adequacy of facilities funding, pointing to the city’s multi‑year capital needs and the volatile nature of transfer tax receipts as a continuing budget risk.