2019 Town budget passes without surprises

The main item of business for the Town Council Dec. 11 was passing the 2019 budget and that happened without comment from residents: no one spoke, and the public hearing closed a minute after it opened. Council then unanimously passed the $5,781,986 budget.

It is a budget balanced by the $2,865,130 beginning fund balance carried over from 2018. Revenues are projected to lag expenses by almost one million dollars in 2019. Still, the end of year fund balance is projected at $1,892,531. Funds are allocated to repair Maple Hall’s elevator.

Council member MaryLee Chamberlain noted that the budget is in deficit. Mayor Ramon Hayes response: “In many ways the Town is a victim of its own success. Over the last decade the Town has done project after project requiring matching funds. We will let those funds replenish for next year and probably 2020.” No major capital projects are planned.

Council first unanimously passed a 2018 budget amendment, adding $29,615 on the revenue side and $212,000 in expenses, primarily for public works and compost operations, to finalize the 2018 budget.

The major discussion of the night followed Planning Director Marianne Manville-Ailles’ presentation on the Town’s proposed 2018 comprehensive plan revision, starting a public hearing. Council will vote to adopt this plan in January.

Manville-Ailles defined the comprehensive plan as guiding and coordinating development in Town. She has been working with the Town’s planning commission on this update. A draft is before various state agencies, as required. None of have responded, a good sign, she said.

Manville-Ailles recognized the planning commission for the “awesome, awesome job,” they performed. Commissioner Liz Theaker was in attendance.

Major topics brought up by Council Members were growth, development, population and housing; the dike; traffic flow, which Hayes and Public Works Director Brian Lease noted earlier would be studied in 2019; and extending the boardwalk south to the waterfront park.

In other business, Council agreed to continue the contract with Skagit Surveyors, of Sedro Wooley, for planning services provided by Manville-Ailles in 2019 and approved a contract with Orca Communications to conduct necessary background checks relating to candidates for Town positions

During the meeting Hayes recognized Ollie Iversen as “singlehandedly being a force behind the waterfront park and he singlehandedly went out to get funds” for it.

Hayes noted the Dec. 25 Council meeting would be cancelled. He ended the meeting thanking the Council for their work in 2018 and wishing them and the public happy holidays.

Per the Town’s charter, Council passes the budget, sending it to the Mayor for his signature. The Mayor does not vote, nor can he veto it.

The Town’s planning documents are available on its website.