Ferndale releases FY27 budget priorities; Kulik/Coolidge reopening estimated at $6.0–$7.6 million

Ferndale city management outlined fiscal year 2027 budget priorities at a council budget workshop, flagging facilities maintenance and resident services as top areas for near‑term investment.

The city manager said staff and consultant work identified reopening costs for the Kulik/Coolidge community center in the range of about $6.0 million to $7.6 million and that negotiations remain ongoing. "We did get the draft condition assessment by our consultant engineers, and the current cost impact is expected to be between $6 and $7,600,000 to reopen that facility," he said.

Council was also presented with four strategic priority areas carried forward from earlier planning: the community center (Kulik/Coolidge), police and fire facilities, housing development strategies, and other priorities including resident services and community engagement. Staff said operational cost comparisons and condition‑assessment breakdowns will follow so the council can weigh purchase versus renovation options.

The manager said some line items are not yet fully scoped or budgeted for FY27, including a recommended legal review of how to establish a housing trust fund and a proposed resident resource agent position. He added that staff expect to complete an internal operational cost comparison and to have more detail before the start of the fiscal year. "We would expect to have that information before the start of fiscal year 27 and absolutely before we make any determinations on moving forward with a purchase of the Coolidge Center," he said.

On resident services and digital access, staff proposed a citizen GIS portal to centralize development, blight and service requests. The initial base layer build was estimated at about $28,000 with a recurring license cost of roughly $2,000 per year. Council members suggested exploring contracted service providers for resident resource navigation instead of immediately creating a full‑time city position.

The meeting was a workshop; no final appropriations were adopted. Staff said they will incorporate council feedback into a second draft and bring a first reading of the Appropriations Act on April 13, with adoption planned for April 27.