Council adopts budget amendment after $5.75 million wastewater timing shift

The council approved a budget amendment to reconcile a timing change in the wastewater fund’s capital expenditures.

Bob Ford, presenting the ordinance, told the council that during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025 the wastewater fund expended about $5,750,000 in capital costs that had been planned and budgeted for fiscal 2026. He described this as a timing issue rather than new or incremental scope and said the additional expenditures were funded by drawing on the city’s approved State Revolving Fund (SRF) debt. Ford said the overall project net budget will not increase and staff recommended approval of the amendment.

Council conducted a second reading as allowed by charter provisions and moved to final passage of bill 26‑08; the roll-call vote carried 7–0. Ford told the council the project’s completion timetable was unchanged and staff anticipates reconciling the FY2026 budget in forthcoming amendments.

The amendment records the accelerated expenditures and preserves budgetary control; staff said the city will show a corresponding decrease in FY2026 as the timing balances out.