October 22, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting

At the October 22, 2026 City of Lake Forest Park City Council regular meeting, the council held public hearings on the preliminary 2027–28 budget and proposed 2027 taxes and utility rates. Staff presented a proposed $3,813,721 property-tax levy, a 5% sewer-rate increase, and a 10% surface-water-rate increase; the sewer and surface-water revenues would support their respective utility funds. In budget deliberations, council members discussed possible revenue assumptions of about $400,000 annually from traffic-camera fines and $200,000 annually from a public-safety sales-tax increase, alongside potential sewer utility-tax changes. Staff was asked to update the financial forecast for further review, and a special budget meeting was discussed. The council also approved Ordinance 26-1324 amending automated traffic-camera fines; the discussion focused on increasing the standard fine from $145 toward $237, with a higher amount for more severe speeding, though the final schedule is not fully clear in the transcript.

Procurement and spending items included discussion of a Washington Department of Ecology grant of approximately $350,000 to hire a consultant to design a community-based stormwater partnership program; the contract was not yet before the council for approval. Staff presented an upcoming RFP for 2027–28 catch-basin inspection services, with no vendor selection or award at this meeting. An $89,000 OTA task order for design and bid support for the 30th Avenue NE Missing Link project was discussed, but staff said approval would depend on the budget and the item would return later. The council also approved a 6% police commander salary adjustment effective November 1 and a reallocation of a vacant 1.0 FTE support-services position into separate transport and property/evidence roles. The meeting included the swearing-in of Police Chief Diego Zanella and discussion of withdrawing from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority agreement; staff reported no fiscal impact from the withdrawal.