Clearlake City Council approves $39 million budget
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — For the second year in a row, the Clearlake City Council has approved a budget far larger than normal thanks to millions in grants and increasing revenue.
Clearlake’s fiscal year 2022-23 budget has $39,116,857 in expenses and $37,160,179 in revenue, and is structurally balanced, said Finance Director Kelcey Young.
General fund revenue totals $7.9 million, with expenses totaling $8.3 million and the use of $516,000 in fund balance, Young said.
The budget includes a move to contracting out for animal control services with North Bay Animal Services, at a cost of $375,000 annually for 10 years, and the creation of a new recreation and event department, with a city goal that it be self-funded within two years.
The new fiscal year budget is the second-largest in the city’s history.
The largest was passed a year ago this month, with $57.4 million in expenditures and $53.6 million in revenue.
Before its regular meeting on Thursday evening, the council held an hour-long workshop during which Young led council members through a budget overview.
Young, hired this month a year ago, has taken the lead on creating this year’s budget.
When the council went to approve the budget with a unanimous vote during the council’s meeting later in the evening, City Manager Alan Flora said it was the first time since he’s been with the city that he hasn’t been very involved in the budget process, “which has certainly been a pleasure for me.”
Highlights of the budget include $15.4 million in grants and Pacific Gas and Electric settlement funds for the Sulphur fire, and property and sales tax totaling $11.2 million.
The city plans $22 million in capital projects in the coming year, with personnel costs totaling $7.8 million.
When it comes to personnel expenses and staffing, Young said Clearlake’s government is “extremely lean” for a city of its population size.
Overall, she said they are seeing increases in revenues — from sources such as the Measure V road sales tax — “which is exciting.”
Young said the city also is moving forward with its plan to finance additional roadwork with debt financing totaling $14,755,000.
The 2022-23 budget report can be found here.
The council on Thursday also approved an 18-month closure of multiple dirt roads in the area of the Cache fire, and Park Street from Sonoma to Oregon, and gave the OK to the 10-year contract with North Bay Animal Services for animal care and control services.
Council members also approved memorandums of understanding between the city and the Clearlake Miscellaneous Employees Association and the Clearlake Police Officers Association, a lease with Dell Financial Services for computer workstations for the police department, an ordinance amending the Clearlake Municipal Code relating to traffic and parking regulations, and job descriptions and placement into salary schedule for certain administrative positions.
Also on Thursday, the city council received a presentation on the Cache fire recovery from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Lake County Water Resources, and heard about the plan to plant 100 valley oaks at the Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
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