Kennewick council adopts $16.5 million amendment to 2025–26 biennial budget

The Kennewick City Council on March 17 unanimously adopted an ordinance amending the city’s 2025–26 biennial budget to recognize previously approved contracts, carry‑forward capital projects and recent grant awards.

In a staff presentation, Ms. Plank said the amendment is the third adjustment to the biennial budget and "provides the opportunity to formally appropriate items that have previously been approved by council." She listed carry‑forward items from 2023–24 and newly recognized funds including an Axon contract for police, a Toyota Center marquee sign replacement, city hall replacement study, and the Raney Collector No. 5 PFAS treatment improvements. Ms. Plank said the amendment "also recognizes a total of approximately $786,000 in grant awards" including $436,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) home‑rehab funds, $230,000 toward the Columbia Park Bridal project, and $120,000 in a DOE capacity grant for stormwater equipment.

Ms. Plank told the council the proposed appropriation increase is approximately $16,500,000 — about a 3 percent increase to the adjusted biennial budget overall. With no substantive council questions after the presentation, a motion to adopt the ordinance was made and passed unanimously.

The amendment carries forward multiple CIP projects (city facility HVAC replacement, animal control facility work, Park Hills storm replacement, and water treatment plant improvements) that were budgeted in 2023–24 but not completed. According to the staff report, some items in the ordinance reflect contractual obligations already committed through previously approved vendor contracts.

The ordinance takes effect as adopted; council members did not amend the measure during the meeting. The council did not record a roll‑call by name during the public vote; the clerk announced the ordinance passed unanimously.