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Council tables mid‑biennium budget carryover amendment for full council review
Summary
Council discussed a carryover budget amendment to update beginning balances and carry over unfinished 2024 items to 2025; after questions about timing under the biennial process and missing members, the council moved to table the amendment until a full council is present.
The council heard a staff presentation from Finance Director Deb (S17) about Budget Amendment 25-0208, which would adjust beginning balances to actual year-end figures and carry forward uncompleted 2024 projects into the 2025 budget. The amendment also includes some additional funding requests and a recently contracted land purchase that staff said could be separated out if the council preferred.
Council members questioned whether the amendment was an accounting update or the addition of new programs, how the city's biennium budget rules (RCW/municipal code) apply, and whether the council should act with full membership present. Several members said they wanted the mid‑biennium process and priorities to be discussed in retreat or in a patterned process. Given that at least two members had not seen the material and the mid‑biennium timing concerns, a motion to table the amendment until the full council could consider it was moved, seconded and approved.
Finance Director Deb said the carryover could be implemented administratively in the meantime to avoid operational disruption, and that staff would separate out the land purchase item and return with clarified language and timing.
Next steps: staff will revise the amendment language, consider separating the land purchase from the carryover package, and return when the council has full attendance and sufficient review time.
