EVERETT — Everett City Council approved a budget amendment on Wednesday, allocating funds for some additional employees and work on its multipurpose stadium project.
Most of the funds tied to the amendment are reappropriations, allowing the city to use unspent funds from 2024 carried forward into the 2025 budget. The budget amendment approves an increase of just under $200,000 in general government spending. It also budgets for an increase in non-general government spending by about $2.3 million.
The amendment budgeted $600,000 for legal fees related to the stadium project, set be used for developing a financing plan, communicating with business owners at the stadium site and negotiating contracts and lease agreements with sports teams. The council was set to vote on the amendment last week but tabled the vote due to concerns over transparency related to spending on the stadium project.
The stadium spending was not listed as a separate item on City Council agendas — rather, it was included in the budget amendment document and presentations from the city finance department at council meetings. The council tabled the vote on April 9 so the stadium funding could be included on Wednesday’s agenda.
“This is a huge project for the city, and we should be sure we are transparent along the way,” council member Judy Tuohy said Wednesday. “Stadium action should not be in consent [agendas] or embedded in other items.”
Other items on the budget amendment included new employees for the city’s legal department, permitting division, parking enforcement and water and sewer utility. The council reduced some maintenance and operation spending at the fire department and identified a vacant public works position to offset some of the cost.
Will Geschke: 425-339-3443; william.geschke@heraldnet.com; X: @willgeschke.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
