Bothell City Council approves biennial budget, capital facilities plan

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, December 14, 2016

The $228.9 million 2017-18 biennial budget was approved by the Bothell City Council during its Dec. 6 meeting by a 5-1 vote, with Councilmember Joshua Freed voting against approval and Councilmember Tom Agnew absent and excused.

“I think we’ve put ourselves in a really good place,” Bothell Finance Director Tami Schackman told the council.

Following the initial presentation of the biennial budget on Oct. 11, three public hearings were held on Oct. 25, Nov. 8 and Nov. 15 during city council meetings.

With the input made by the council, some changes were made from the initial proposed budget, which were outlined in an email composed by Interim City Manager Bob Jean, which can be found in the attachments to the Dec. 6 city council meeting agenda. The initial budget proposed redistribution of staffing within the fire department, but the final budget was changed to disregard that redistribution following the retirement of the fire marshall and concerns raised by councilmembers. The changes were made without changing the total funding, according to Jean’s email.

The full 2017-18 biennial budget draft can be found on the city’s website under the finance department at www.bothellwa.gov/161/Budget.

The city also approved the 2017-2023 capital facilities plan at the Dec. 6 meeting, which includes 57 transportation, park, sewer, water and storm and surface water projects with a total budget of $246.3 million. More information about the projects and the plan can be found online at www.bothellwa.gov/182/Capital-Facilities-Plan.