PORT ANGELES – The City Council unanimously approved this week a 2008 city budget that includes adding a city planner and continued funding of two major capital projects.
It also eliminates an administrative assistant position and an electric utility lineman position, plus two summer interns.
The $109.2 million budget – which includes a $17 million general fund – was unanimously approved by the City Council at Tuesday night’s meeting.
The council also approved the amended 2007 city budget of $106.5 million, which was $4.5 million less than the original 2007 budget.
The change was due to the deferral of some utility projects, and some work on the Eighth Street bridges replacement project, said City Finance Director Yvonne Ziomkowski.
The $109.2 million budget includes a $17 million general fund budget, $62.2 million utilities budget, $16 million capital projects budget and $311,000 designated for reserves.
The capital projects include the Eighth Street bridges replacement project, the Port Angeles International Gateway Transportation Center and various street paving and park improvement projects.
The remaining $14 million includes the city’s debt service fund, special revenue fund for dedicated revenue such as the hotel/motel tax, and an internal service fund that finances equipment and computer services provided to city departments.
The $17 million general fund budget, up from $16.74 million in 2007, pays for most of what people associate with city government – police and fire departments, public works, community and economic development, the city’s legal and finance departments and the City Council and city manager.
“This is probably the most logical and easy to read budget I’ve ever seen, said Councilman Don Perry.
“Kudos to the city staff.”
