City adopts FY2026–27 budget; library funding preserved, staff says

City staff reported to the commission that the Menlo Park City Council adopted the FY2026–27 budget and did not cut library funding. "This fiscal year, we did not lose any library funding in the budget," said Nick Chevut, Library and Community Services Director, during the July 20 meeting, noting that some potential cost-saving ideas (for example, reductions to certain program offerings suggested during development) were not approved by the council.

Staff added the adopted budget did include changes in other service areas (notably reductions to some aquatics hours and incremental fee increases for gymnastics) as the city worked to align cost recovery in some programs. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about whether the adopted budget fully covers inflationary cost increases; staff said that while the library maintained funding levels, available resources do not necessarily keep pace with inflation and some budget lines remain constrained.