Council introduces ordinance to align capital improvements plan schedule with state law; public hearing set for Jan. 14

The council introduced an ordinance to amend Chapter 2 of the municipal code governing budgetary affairs, changing the capital improvements project plan update cycle from every two years to every three years to match state statute. Chris York, the city’s budget director, told councilmembers the change is intended to align the municipal schedule with the state requirement and to give staff flexibility in calendar years when a voter‑approved general obligation (GO) bond could alter the city’s project priorities.

York said staff still intends to bring forward a plan every two years most years but wants the legal flexibility to wait in years when a potential bond vote would materially change the capital plan. He said bringing the plan before voters’ decisions could omit hundreds of millions of dollars from the proposed plan and produce an inferior plan for council consideration.

The ordinance was introduced with a motion that passed unanimously; a public hearing is set for Jan. 14 and a final hearing for Jan. 28. City staff said they would return with the formal amendment and supporting materials at the Jan. 14 public hearing.

The item was presented as an introduction; no final amendment to the municipal code was adopted at the meeting.