EDMONDS — The city of Edmonds has it’s finances in order for 2005.
At their regular meeting Nov. 16, Edmonds City Council members unanimously accepted the proposed $67 million budget for next year.
Mayor Gary Haakenson said it passed with ease.
“The bottom line is that it was a good budget. The Council didn’t take anything out, and they added a few things they felt were important,” he said.
Those things include increased parking enforcement in downtown Edmonds, new laptops for Council members so they can receive “paperless packets” of Council news and $30,000 earmarked for Team Edmonds, Haakenson said. The money will go towards helping the group of merchants, business people and property owners continue working on economic development.
Council president Michael Plunkett said he feels the budget’s smooth passage was because of “no new substantial encumbrances,” such as a drastic drop in income or sudden employee hiring.
“We had to let 25 people go (two years ago) and we just didn’t have that kind of issue this year,” Plunkett said. “We will have things like that come up in the future … but it went very well.”
Haakenson added, “It’s nice to have the budget done for a while, and we’ll start on it again in about seven months.”
Aspects of the accepted 2005 budget include:
• Funding topographic mapping and geo-technical analysis for sensitive slope areas;
• Making two part-time positions, one in human resources and one in development services, full-time;
• $6,000 in administrative services so a retiring employee can provide training and overlap with the new hire;
• Continued funding the temporary building inspector, civil engineer and office assistant positions established in 2004 and funded from increased permit activity.
• $25,800 added to the parks budget to restore two part-time summer positions;
• Update the city code book;
• Replace the city’s 14-year-old phone system;
• Taser replacement for police, reserve officer training, narcotics enforcement and search and rescue boat replacement;
• Paramedic training;
•Replacement of worn equipment at Yost Pool and the gym, egg hunt supplies, an additional summer camp week and additional advertising;
• Public works facilities equipment replacement, street equipment replacement and repairs;
• An increase of $5,000 in the South County Senior Center annual service contract.
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