GRANGER — After overcoming a projected $100,000 shortfall in next year’s operating budget, the City Council is expected to adopt a final budget Dec. 26.
Roughly $30,000 will be diverted from the street fund to help balance the budget, said City Clerk-Treasurer Alice Koerner.
The city also will apply about $50,000 from this year’s ending balance to the shortfall. Another $20,000 was saved through miscellaneous cuts, she said. Earlier, the city sold for $50,000 a small piece of property it owned at Fifth and D streets to put toward the budget gap.
Despite the budget crunch, the city will still be able to replace some antiquated equipment, including a lawnmower, a maintenance truck for the public works department and new computers for city staff.
But the city won’t make those purchases until about midyear, Koerner said.
“They’re going to hold off a bit to see if we reach our projected revenue,” she said.
During Monday’s regular meeting, the City Council approved garbage and irrigation rate increases. Garbage rates will increase 6 percent, hiking the monthly charge for a 90-gallon trash can from $15.49 to $16.42.
Annual irrigation rates were increased from $93 an acre to $97. The Sunnyside Valley Irrigation District, which serves the area, raised its rates and the city passed the increase on to customers.
The city’s overall budget is about $2.2 million and the general fund, which pays for police, fire and park services, is about $920,000.
The city has until the end of the month to forward a final operating budget to the state.
• Phil Ferolito can be reached at 509-577-7749 or pferolito@yakimaherald.com.