AGENDA TITLE:
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Adopt a Resolution Approving Fiscal Year 2025/26 Financial Plan and Budget; Approving the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Appropriation Spending Limit; Approving the Classifications, Job Descriptions, and Salary Ranges for Five New Positions; and Approving the Annual GANN Spending Limit (ISD - BUD)
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MEETING DATE:
June 4, 2025
PREPARED BY:
Jennelle Baker-Bechthold, Budget Manager
recommendation
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a resolution approving Fiscal Year 2025/26 Financial Plan and Budget; approving the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Appropriation Spending Limit; approving the classifications, job descriptions, and salary ranges for four new positions; and approving the Fiscal Year 2025/26 Investment Policy.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Staff presented information regarding the Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2025/26 budget at Special Meetings on May 27 and May 28, 2025. The draft budget document was made available to Council and released online on May 22, 2025. The full proposed budget is available on the City’s webpage at: <https://city-lodi-ca-budget-book.cleargov.com/19303>.
The General Fund for FY 2025/26 is presented with revenues and expenditures of $89,724,060. The remaining fund expenditures are shown in Table 1, bringing the City’s total FY 2025/26 budget to $291,383,160.
Staffing Changes - The budget proposes 478 full time employees, a net increase of five from FY 2024/25 authorized positions. The recommended changes are shown in Table 2:
• Add (1) Librarian II - A restructuring of the Lodi Public Library results in the addition of a Librarian to manage the Library Services Division within the Library. This was a recommendation by the Baker-Tilly assessment report and the addition of the position and the restructuring of the Library shown in the budget book were approved by the Library board on May 12, 2025. The position will oversee day to day operations of the Library Services Division and will provide staff management for the Library Services Division. In addition, this will be a great addition to the library system as the Baker-Tilly Report recommended more qualified librarians be on the staff. Currently the library has 1 1/2 trained librarians. Adding this position strengthens the library system and will provide better services to the public and community. This position differs from the Librarian 1 as it can supervise staff.
• Add (1) Lab Tech I - The Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) ensures the quality of environmental and public health data generated by laboratories in California. The City’s laboratory at White Slough Water Pollution Control Facility is regulated by ELAP. On May 5, 2020, the California State Water Resources Control Board adopted newer and more comprehensive regulations for the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program. These additional regulations include more quality control of sampling methods and equipment, more comprehensive tracking of samples and more frequent internal audits. The additional workload with these increasing regulations warrants an additional Lab Technician I.
• Add (1) Utility Safety & Training Specialist - Superintendents and managers within the Public Works Department must balance their limited time and ability to focus between implementing the City’s current safety programs and their important operational day-to-day tasks. By leaving safety program implementation to each division within the Department, it creates many different programs instead of a cohesive safety standard throughout the Department. It is important that this position be created in the Municipal Utilities Division within the Public Works Department due to the operational needs, the knowledge and expertise required of the specialized tasks performed, and the sheer number of employees and rate of turnover within the Department.
• Add (1) Water Resources Manager - The Water Resources Manager oversees the conservation, treatment, and study of local water sources, ensuring they are clean, safe, and used sustainably. They develop and implement plans to balance the needs of ecosystems with societal water demands. They also manage water quality, flood control and related issues. The City has continued to grow, and that fact coupled with the increasing burden of regulatory compliance and management necessitates additional management resources so that the City can remain compliant with state and federal laws and regulations. They will manage groundwater contamination and work with engineering staff to design & install treatment systems to remove contaminants. City staff has continued to absorb the additional workload and has exceeded existing staff’s bandwidth necessitating the need for additional staff.
• Add (1) Heavy Equipment Mechanic - Before the great recession, the Fleet Division employed 8 full time Heavy Equipment Mechanics running a day and night shift. The city currently has a day shift with 3 Heavy Equipment Mechanics. The standard in the industry for the mechanic to equipment ratio with inputting the City's data results in 7 Heavy Equipment Mechanics. The City has experienced an increase in Transit/Bus repairs that has made it difficult to accommodate other departments and their needs. It is important that we add this position to be able to serve the City in a timely manner.
Appropriations Spending Limit - Staff has calculated the GANN Spending limit at $156,531,082 and increase of $9,516,476 year-over-year.
STRATEGIC VISION:
3A. Fiscal Health: Promote City's transparency & fiscal fluency.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Fiscal Year 2025/26 budget provides an expenditure plan for all funds. The All-Funds expenditure budget is projected to be $291,383,160. General Fund revenues and expenses are projected at $89,724,060.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Not applicable.