City Formally Adopts $10.8 Million Budget

A budget of approximately $10.8 million for the new fiscal year was adopted Monday by the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, dropping the city reserves below the 150 percent mark previously established as city policy.

City Manager Mark Alexander said the reserves this year will be about 136 percent of revenue, a figure he said was acceptable for the city.

The reserve fund was reduced because the council appropriated about $1.5 million more in council consideration items than there was general fund money available.

The council consideration items, taken up last in the process by the council, include community group funding, capital improvements and staff additions for the city.

La Cañada’s bulging reserve has been a source of pride for the city, as well as providing interest income from investments. The account is far more than that maintained by other cities; Glendale, by comparison, maintains about a 35 percent reserve.

The council approved the hiring of another engineer for the Public Works Department, a parking consultant to work on the downtown, and for a federal lobbyist to look for soundwall funding. A request from the Parks and Recreation Commission for $80,000 for a parks master plan was turned down.

Community groups fared well with funding requests, capital projects were approved, though funding for the proposed Olberz Park was reduced until more information was available from the Town Center developer.

The council will revisit some of the issues when the mid-year budget adjustment is made next spring.