City set to OK spending plan

Santa Clarita expected to approve $203 million budget next week

With its summer recess approaching in July, the Santa Clarita City Council is scheduled Tuesday to award various contracts and adopt its budget for the next year.

The council plans to adopt its 2018-19 budget, which is seeing an expected increase by 2.6 percent, or about $5.2 million more than the current budget, according to city documents.

The $203 million budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year includes a projected $110.8 million in general fund revenues, with the general fund’s budgeted expenditures at $110.4 million, said Jerrid McKenna, assistant to the city manager.

Through its consent calendar, the city is also slated to award the contract to begin construction of the new sheriff’s station on Golden Valley Road, which is the city’s most expensive project to date at over $62 million.

The council also plans to approve selected book vendors for the new Santa Clarita Public Library. Vendors include ABDO Publishing, Children’s Plus Inc., Ingram Library Services, and others. City staff operation of the library will begin July 1, marking a departure from the city’s previous private contract with Library Systems and Services.

The council is also expected to reappoint Mayor Laurene Weste and Councilman Bob Kellar to the Santa Clarita Board of Library Trustees for three-year terms that expire June 30, 2021.

The council is scheduled to take its summer recess after the July 10 meeting and resume meeting Aug. 28.

City of Santa Clarita Flickr/ Courtesy photo Santa Clarita Mayor Laurene Weste addresses the public during a recent news conference the city held regarding its announcement of plans for the local spending of Community Development Block Grant funds. The city is expected to adopt its budget for the...