City Council - Budget and Finance Committee

City of Bellingham Budget and Finance Committee Minutes April 28, 2025, 3:05 PM Mayor: Kimberley Lund Contact: (360) 778-8100, mayorsoffice@cob.org Council Members: Lisa Anderson, Chair Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Daniel Hammill, Michael Lilliquist https://cob.org/council Call to Order Council Member Hammill called the meeting to order at 3:05pm. Roll Call Present: Committee Chair Lisa Anderson, Fifth Ward (Attended remotely) Committee Member Daniel Hammill, Third Ward Committee Member Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Standing Committee Meetings: Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote. 24511 1. An Ordinance Amending the 2025 Adopted Budget Reconciling the Differences p. 3 Between Estimated 2025 Beginning Reserve Balances and Actual 2025 Reserve Balances Andy Asbjornsen, Finance Director, and Eric Johnson, Budget & Treasury Manager, returned to Council to discuss the draft ordinance amending the 2025 reserve and actual balances. Per the City's Financial Policy, at the beginning of each budget cycle, the City must update the budget with actual beginning reserves and estimate new ending reserves. Council Members discussed the ordinance and asked questions. Michael Lilliquist moved to recommend approval of the ordinance amending the 2025 adopted budget reconciling the differences between the estimated 2025 beginning reserve balances and actual 2025 beginning reserve balances and applying the differences to the ending reserve balances. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. 24512 2. An Ordinance Amending the 2025 Budget Increasing Appropriation Authority in p. 11 Various Funds to Pay for Goods and Services Authorized in the Previous Budget Cycle Budget and Finance Committee Minutes Page 1 April 28, 2025  Andy Asbjornsen, Finance Director, and Eric Johnson, Budget & Treasury Manager, returned to Council to discuss the draft ordinance, which reappropriates unused budget authority of $104,570,732 in expenses and $10,131,421 in revenue from the 2023-2024 biennium. Council Members discussed the ordinance and asked questions. Lisa Anderson moved to amend the ordinance, so the total revenue column reads $10,131,421, from the 2023-2024 biennium. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. Lisa Anderson moved to recommend approval of the ordinance amending the 2025 budget, increasing appropriation authority in various funds to pay for goods and services authorized in the previous budget cycle. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. 24513 3. An Ordinance Amending the 2025 Budget - Amendment No. 1 p. 23 Andy Asbjornsen, Finance Director, and Eric Johnson, Budget & Treasury Manager, returned to Council to discuss the draft ordinance, which amends the 2025 budget to correct budgetary errors, adjust appropriation authority to provide positive estimated ending reserve balances for all City funds, and adds budget authority for items missed during budget development or materialized after adoption. Council Members discussed the ordinance and asked questions. Michael Lilliquist moved to recommend approval of the ordinance amending the 2025 Budget - Amendment No. 1. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 3:22pm. Budget and Finance Committee Minutes Page 2 April 28, 2025