# Covington City Council Annual Budget Workshop 10-24-2026


**Body:** cityofcovington
**Date:** October 23, 2026
**Jurisdiction:** SLED

**Tags:** Construction & Infrastructure, Physical Infrastructure, Grants & Funding


Covington City Council’s annual budget workshop on October 24, 2026, reviewed the proposed 2027 budget and long-range financial outlook. Staff warned that baseline spending is projected to exceed recurring revenue beginning in 2028, while noting reserve levels, growth, and revenue uncertainty. The council discussed a projected roughly 7% increase in the King County Sheriff’s contract, benefit-cost increases, and the need to monitor reserves and future commitments. Staff also described a proposed $100,000 development-review workflow automation tool, but the transcript does not establish that it was funded or approved. The Parks, Recreation and Open Space plan is in an active RFP process, with work planned for 2027 and adoption expected in early 2028.

The workshop identified several budget additions or directions for staff to incorporate into the forecast: $150,000 for a gateway sign, funded from the Town Center reserve; $40,000 for corridor beautification banners; a part-time parking-enforcement position; pickleball nets; and $80,000 for school-zone flashing beacons, with staff proposing to use pavement-preservation funding. Council also supported a $2,000 city sponsorship for the Covington Pride event, rather than duplicating its existing grant, and discussed shifting $35,000 in annual Storehouse food-bank support from the human-services allocation while retaining reporting. Capital projects discussed include Jenkins Creek Trail, with about $3.8 million in grant funding, aquatic-center improvements with about $1 million in grant funding, and roughly $250,000 in 2027 planning and design costs for the whole-health community center, offset by grant funds. Council indicated support for the 1% property-tax levy increase. These were workshop discussions and consensus directions; no formal motions or votes are recorded in the transcript.

**Source:** cityofcovington