2026 11 02 City of Othello Special City Council Meeting

Special City Council budget-retreat meeting of the City of Othello, held November 3, 2026 (the meeting title lists November 2). Council and staff reviewed the proposed 2027 budget, fund balances, and potential expenditures; no budget or procurement approvals were made. Discussed equipment requests included $16,000 for network switches and wireless access points, $20,000 for a domain controller, and three engineering computers estimated at $9,500 each. Staff also presented wastewater grinder-pump upgrades and replacement service vehicles, alongside police patrol-car needs. Council discussed using a police reserve to fund one patrol car, with another vehicle and other police requests competing for limited general-fund resources.

Potential revenue measures included a 0.1% sales-tax increase for law enforcement, estimated to yield about $245,000 annually once fully in effect, and possible utility-tax increases; neither was approved. Other proposed budget items included roughly $90,000 for additional court staffing, public-records and public-information staffing, and an $8,000 general-fund transfer to cover tourism allocations after lower-than-expected lodging-tax revenue. The discussion also considered canceling a holiday fireworks display to avoid about $9,000 in additional spending. Members raised concerns about tax burdens, reserve levels, and the need to control expenses. The only recorded vote was to excuse an absent councilmember; no procurement-related motions or action items were finalized.