Mayor JW Foster Presents Balanced and Sustainable 2021-2022 Biennial Budget
Mayor JW Foster Presents Balanced and Sustainable 2021-2022 Biennial Budget
On Tuesday October 13th, Mayor JW Foster presented the City Council with a balanced and sustainable budget proposal for the 2021-2022 biennium as required by state law and the Yelm Municipal Code. The City of Yelm Finance Director, Heidi MacDonald, also presented the City Council with current revenue projections of the General Fund.
“Developing the budget was a very collaborative process listening to staff, council and community members,” said Mayor Foster. “This document lays the foundation and framework for everything we do.”
The City of Yelm is fortunate to be able to focus on community needs without facing the layoffs and significant service reductions many other communities are experiencing. Highlights of Mayor Foster’s proposed budget include: creating a Habitat Conservation Plan to protect endangered species while mitigating the impact federal regulations are having on business development and investing capital funds to create an Off-Leash Dog Park and expanding the Yelm Prairie Line Trail to increase public access and tourism. The budget also includes continuing our partnerships and laying the groundwork to expand our mental health services and reconfiguring utility rate structures to maintain services and lowering water rates for residents and businesses.
Mayor Foster’s proposed budget adheres to the city’s core principles and financial policies, which helped the City of Yelm earn the national distinguished budget award from the Government Finance Officers Association. The City’s financial policies emphasize expenditures not exceeding revenues, maintaining prudent reserves, and budgeting sustainably by not spending one-time money on ongoing expenses.
The budget is focused on and organized around the City of Yelm’s highest over-arching priorities, which include investing in:
- safe neighborhoods and routes to schools
- sustainable and cost effective public infrastructure
- strong and diverse economy
- vibrant public spaces with an enduring connection to our history
“Now more than ever I can’t emphasize enough the importance of continuing to live within our means,” said Mayor Foster. “Our future is bright and our path forward is clear as we work to achieve our vision and adhere to financial policies which have established a solid foundation for us to build upon.”
City Council will receive presentations by each department over the course of the next few months. They will review and discuss the details of each fund that supports operations and priorities each department has identified. The Council will deliberate and modify the budget as they choose as it becomes the official 2021-2022 Biennial Budget for the City of Yelm.
All budget documents and presentations are available publicly on our website at: https://www.yelmwa.gov/connect/admin_finance/2021-2022_budget_page.php
