# September 28, 2026 City Council Special Meeting

The City of Lake Forest Park City Council held a special meeting on September 28, 2026, to review the proposed 2027–2028 biennial budget. Discussion focused on a projected $4.5 million gap between revenues and expenditures over the biennium, possible revenue measures—including utility rates, fees, and traffic-camera revenues—and ways to manage expenses while maintaining city services. Staff said they would provide estimates of the household impact of potential sewer and surface-water rate increases and a table of available revenue options. Council also discussed reviewing the city’s financial management policies and considering budget provisos for proposed positions, without setting automatic activation triggers. No budget adoption, contract award, or other spending vote occurred at this meeting.

Budget and capital-project questions covered traffic calming and the Healthy Streets program (including a prior request for $150,000 annually), funding sources for CIP projects, park and facility maintenance, street-light costs, and possible safety education related to e-bikes and scooters. Staff cited completed or planned maintenance needs, including a building roof, and agreed to clarify several budget figures and funding details. The public-defender contract is due for renegotiation; staff described its quarterly case-volume adjustment and said the budget includes roughly 10% growth. Council also discussed possible expansion or repurposing of traffic cameras, but staff noted that additional cameras could require court and prosecutorial capacity and would take time to implement. Follow-up information and further budget discussion were expected at the next meeting on Thursday.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Public Safety
**Topics:** Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** September 28, 2026

### Sources
- [September 28, 2026 City Council Special Meeting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdoJ8D1lZaQ) - City of Lake Forest Park