Brighton council amends 2025 budget to add $1.3 million for grants, small-business aid and water costs

Brighton City Council voted 8-0 Tuesday to amend the 2025 budget and appropriate $1,306,603 to cover recently awarded grants, additional small-business grants and higher water payments, city staff said.

Catherine Mortensen, Brighton's budget and performance manager, told the council the amendment adds three grant awards — including two DOLA grants for the housing needs plan and a CDPHE grant for emerging contaminants — totaling about $373,000; increases the small-business grant pool by transferring $100,000 from the lodging tax fund into the general fund; and covers an unanticipated rise in water payments to the City of Thornton that staff estimate at just over $700,000. "All in all, this adds about $1,300,000 to the 2025 budget and brings our total city budget to 312,000,000 for 2025," Mortensen said.

The change to the small-business program will route the additional lodging-tax money through Brighton's economic development department and its existing grant process, Mortensen said in response to a question from Mayor Pro Tem Peter Padilla. "Correct. It'll go through the economic development corporation," Mortensen said.

Mayor Pro Tem Padilla moved the measure; Councilmember Tadeo seconded. With no public testimony and no further council questions, the council approved the resolution 8-0.

Councilmembers praised the additional grant money to support downtown and other local businesses during debate before the vote. The council is scheduled to reconvene July 1 for its next regular meeting.