City Finance Director Troy Woo said the amendments going before council today are within range of a normal year and the city has enough in its reserve funds to handle proposed changes.
“Some of these (amendments) are just shifting priorities,” Woo said. “These monies would have been spent, otherwise.”
About $1 million is coming out of the general fund, including $123,000 in police overtime. City Manager Scott Spence said some of the costs are due to unexpected events and paid details where the city is reimbursed for services.
“There’s other revenue behind that,” Spence said of the overtime figure.
The police budget also hasn’t budged much since 2009, and an adjustment is needed, he added.
Some spending comes as a result of favorable bids, Spence said.
For example, the city is spending $200,000 out of its equipment replacement fund to purchase a street sweeper, which wasn’t in the city’s budget this year until they learned they could get a better price by piggybacking on a county bid.
“When you do a budget, there are certain things you just can’t predict,” Spence said.
In 2010, when the city budgeted $1 million for its street overlay program, it did not include work in the Midway Estates neighborhood, which has a poor pavement rating.
After a competitive bid came through, the council approved an additional $343,284 for the extra work, project management and next year’s design. The 2012 overlay budget is focused on Ruddell Road improvements, meaning Midway Estates wouldn’t have received attention until 2013.
Grant awards and spending are also part of the amendments.
One amendment proposes using $625,000 of a $1 million grant for debt payment for the Greg J. Cuoio Community Park purchase. Another requests spending $200,000 of a $1 million federal block grant for architectural and engineering of the Lacey Senior Center expansion project.
Other major amendments include:
• $538,334 for a wastewater lift station/Ruddell Road wastewater project.
• $120,000 for water main upsizing in Hawks Prairie neighborhood.
• $137,528 for right of way purchases for future roundabout at Carpenter and Mullen roads.
• $241,598 in expenses for the Sixth Avenue realignment and Sleater-Kinney right of way project.
Looking forward to the 2012 budget, Spence said he’s receiving requests from departments and plans to present the preliminary budget during the Oct. 27 council meeting.
The adopted 2011 budget totaled $107.4 million and included a $31.5 million general fund for basic services.
Nate Hulings: 360-754-5476 nhulings@theolympian.com www.theolympian.com/outsideoly
