Cd'A approves big budget amendment

By RALPH BARTHOLDT

Staff Writer

A public hearing on $13 million in amendments to the current city of Coeur d’Alene budget is planned Sept. 18 at the City Council chambers in the Coeur d’Alene Public Library.

The amendment, the largest in recent history, will be added to the budget if the public has no objections.

“It’s a fairly large amendment,” said Vonnie Jensen, the city’s deputy finance director.

The large amount — bigger than last year’s $5.8 million in end-of-year amendments and $2.8 million in 2016 — comes on the heels of the city’s purchase of the Atlas Mill site, including earth work at the 47-acre site and a traffic study associated with the site. The amendment also includes a major reconstruction project at Four Corners.

Amendments are usually added to the city’s current budget before it sunsets and a new budget is adopted.

The $13 million amendment is for funding and expenses that cycled in from projects that also include $69,000 toward building Coeur d’Alene Fire Station 4; almost $700,000 in expenses from the City Hall remodel; $212,000 from the general obligation bonds carry over — GO bonds are backed through upcoming taxation or revenue from projects — and $30,000 for street lights.

The expenses will be paid from the general fund, urban renewal agency ignite cda, impact fees and taxes and grants.

Additional expenses in the amendment include $2 million for the Four Corners work at Memorial Park, with park upgrades, a traffic signal, drainage, restrooms and trail realignment.

Almost $700,000 in amendments come from equipment for the new parking lot on Garden Avenue — funded in large part by ignite and the county — and downtown parking garage equipment.

Kootenai County is paying for the shared-use parking lot at Four Corners, while ignite cda is paying for the park portion and the restrooms.

“Most of it is coming from ignite and the county,” Jensen said. “It all ends up as an expense in our budget.”

Centennial Trail funding added a $209,000 amendment, which is paid by the state ($147,000), the county ($50,000) and the city will contribute $12,000.

Instead of amending the budget throughout the year as other municipalities do, city of Coeur d’Alene administrators approve budget increases throughout the year, and add them into a single budget amendment at the end of the fiscal year. Jensen doesn’t expect next year’s budget to require a similarly hefty year-end amendment.

‘We don’t buy a millsite every year,” she said.