City Council to conduct budget review

The Santa Clarita City Council is set Tuesday to review its budget, which includes funds for major projects in the city’s five-year plan, Santa Clarita 2020. They will also discuss multiple transportation-related items.

In late June, the City Council adopted its $203 million budget, which includes a projected $110.8 million in general fund revenues.

Staff gathers around this time to evaluate the adopted budget, revenue projections and economic conditions for the remainder of the fiscal year, a standard procedure to “ensure any deviations from the initial budget projections are proactively addressed,” according to the agenda report.

“When we prepare the budget we make estimates but as new data arrives we make estimate adjustments, which is what’s demonstrated in this mid-year review,” said Carmen Magana, director of administrative services for the city.

The recommended mid-year expenditure budget additions total nearly $1.2 million, with the largest sum coming from the general fund ($373,026). Several components make up the amount, including $50,000 received from the Los Angeles County Homeless Solutions Plan grant for the city’s plan to prevent and combat homelessness.

Under budget reductions, the amount totaled to more than $1.1 million, with the largest revenue decrease of $1.7 million coming from the Bridge and Thoroughfare District funds. This comes from $1 million collected in relation to the Needham Ranch development earlier than projected in the 2017-2018 fiscal year budget and a decrease of $700,000 from the Best Western remodel project due to the developer using bridge and thoroughfare credit rather than cash payments, according to the city.

Transportation

The City Council is also expected to review three items that aim to improve transportation for drivers and pedestrians alike.

Among those includes the recommendation that they authorize the purchase of 20 battery backup systems as part of phase one of three to install 53 systems. At the completion of the program, a total of 173 of 192 signalized intersections would have a backup. The systems provide reliable emergency power to traffic signals in the event of power failures or interruptions.

If the City Council approves, a construction contract may be awarded to replace the existing timber pedestrian bridge across Arroyo Park Drive, between Kirstengary Way and Tossano Drive, with a prefabricated steel truss bridge. Staff recommends awarding the contract to local Leonida Builders Inc. for more than $570,000.