CLEARLAKE — A set of adjustments to the City of Clearlake’s budget that total just under $650,000 will be considered by the Clearlake City Council on Thursday.
The proposed changes are part of a standard mid-year budget review that compares actual revenues over the first half of the fiscal year with the projected revenues accounted for in the city’s adopted budget.
“We try to budget conservatively,” said Clearlake City Manager Alan Flora. The city’s transient occupancy tax and sales tax are both “coming in a little stronger than we anticipated,” he said.
Each of the 17 proposed budget adjustments would increase the city’s spending on various departments and projects. All but two of them would allocate revenue from the city’s general fund. The largest single budget change is a proposed $500,000 bond expenditure to contribute to Hope Center, a planned homelessness and healthcare facility to be located on Emerson Street in Clearlake.
$12,700 of a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant which the city was awarded for code enforcement purposes is proposed to be used to allow the city’s code enforcement department to bring a part time officer up to full time, and to hire a new office assistant.
Roughly $135,000 in added general fund spending stemming from the unanticipated revenue is being proposed. Uses for this funding would include $10,000 for “psychological services” for a police officer who was involved in a shooting, and $30,000 for the City of Clearlake’s 40th anniversary celebration. Another $26,000 is proposed to cover “increased fuel costs” from the police department. The police department would also be reimbursed for $7,800 of overtime for work performed during the Kincade Fire. In addition, the department would receive an extra $16,000 for taser equipment and software.
“If current trends continue, this year’s budget is on track with projections and is expected to generate some savings by the end of the year,” states Interim Finance Director Jill Martin in a memo on the proposed budget adjustments.
The Clearlake City Council will discuss the proposed changes in a workshop to be held at 5 p.m. Thursday in city hall.
The Clearlake City Council meets on the first and third Thursday of each month at city hall, located at 14050 Olympic Drive. The public is welcome to attend all council meetings. Agendas are available at www.clearlake.ca.us.
