Budget season is in full swing for Kirkland. The Kirkland City Council took an in-depth look at the proposed 2017-18 budget at a special meeting on Oct. 27, in addition to holding a study session and a public hearing at the regular Nov. 1 meeting.

At the Oct. 27 meeting, city staff gave the council explanations of expenditures and revenues across a variety of topics, including human services, public safety, economic development, jail services and parks and recreation. The council took the opportunity to ask city staff some questions, but none of them indicated a need for any major changes to the proposed budget.

“There’s nothing we want to take off (the budget),” Councilmember Dave Asher said. “I’m struck by how well we seem to be synced as an organization. … It’s reflected in this fiscal planning, and that’s a good thing.”

“We’re in really good shape moving forward,” Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold said.

“I think it looks great so far,” Mayor Amy Walen said. “This work represents something that’s important to all of us.”

The councilmembers also were appreciative of the hard work the city staff put into preparing the 2017-18 budget.

“It’s always tedious to read budget documents, but … everything in here was really helpful,” Councilmember Penny Sweet said.

At the Nov. 1 meeting, the councilmembers discussed some of the budget items the city staff left up to their discretion. They indicated a desire to use the extra $850,000 raised from selling the property at 505 Market Street to fund a shelter. They also supported City Manager Kurt Triplett’s suggestion to put $500,000 aside in an Annexation Sales Tax Credit reserve to prepare for when that credit ends in 2021.

An additional $732,569 is available for the council to use to fund a variety of projects totaling $869,784, so not all of them can be funded. The projects include additional human services funding, the establishment of a human services commission, a seasonal labor service package, extra communications staffing and joining a five-city growth research project. The councilmembers started deliberation of what projects to fund at the Nov. 1 meeting but ran out of time and will finish the discussion at the Nov. 15 meeting.

During the public hearing at the Nov. 1 meeting, representatives from a variety of organizations including Sophia Way, Kindering, Imagine Housing and Hopelink came forward to thank the city for the financial support in the 2017-18 budget, while representatives from OneAmerica, Hero House and the Green Kirkland Partnership came forward to request more funding in the biennium.

“We need dedicated staff to make this program work, ” Green Kirkland steward Lisa McConnell said, referring to the seasonal labor service package that is one of the items the council could choose to fund with the $732,569.

“It’s heartening to hear from all the various programs,” Asher said after all of the comments. “We won’t be able to do everything, but I think we’re making some good progress.”

An additional public hearing on the budget will be held during the council’s Nov. 15 meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. at city hall. The budget is expected to be adopted at the Dec. 13 council meeting, also at 7 p.m. at city hall.

The complete 2017-18 proposed budget can be found on the city’s website, kirklandwa.gov, and both the Oct. 27 and Nov. 1 city council meetings can be watched on demand through the city’s website at www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/council.