The Yelm City Council approved several amendments to its 2023-24 budget during its council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 27.
Stephanie Nanavich, Yelm’s finance director, said the city is estimating to receive $200,000 in revenue from Thurston County’s public safety tax, which was passed by voters in November of 2023. As well, the Yelm Police Department has also requested $15,000 from the city to hire an emergency management consultanåt.
“There aren’t a lot of items in this budget amendment,” Nanavich said during the meeting. “We are adding the public safety sales tax revenue. We did receive some art donations, and we have some new capital projects, some professional services for salary and labor negotiations, and some housekeeping items.”
Nanavich added that the city is requesting $45,000 for additional labor negotiations and salary surveys, in addition to a $2,500 fee to close out the local improvement district; $11,000 was also needed in the general fund for medical benefits.
Nanavich said some housekeeping items included budgeting to transfer one time excess reserves from the general fund to the municipal building fund. She said the revenue will be earmarked for future government buildings.
“We had some small, negative balances. One was $300, one was $2,000,” Nanavich said. “That was due to a timing issue of when we made payments versus when revenues came in. Both of those funds are pass-through funds.”
As well, a $90,000 expenditure was added into the municipal building fund for the Longmire Park study, and an additional $142,000 in grant revenue was added into the road and street construction fund, which will be used for the Rhoton Road project and covered by grand funds.
“We have the Washington State DOT roundabout Bald Hill project for $300,000,” Nanavich continued. “That’s a revenue and an expenditure. We also have a grant for $280,000 for ADA sidewalk ramp compliance.”
There was also a storm water fund expenditure of $118,000 to purchase an excavator and a carryover expenditure of $20,000 for the reader board project. In the water improvements fund, the department is removing $1.8 million in expenditures to be pushed toward future years.
