PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles City Council discussed budget goals during a four-hour meeting this week.
City finance director Sarina Carrizosa presented the ideas council members threw out during their first budget goals discussion on July 1.
Staff on Tuesday night separated the ideas into revenue and expenditures and then into short-term, long-term and no further action recommended.
On the short-term priorities list for revenue was traffic cameras, which staff recommended the city continue in its Traffic Camera Safety Program as planned.
It was adopted in the 2026-2031 Capital Facilities Plan.
During discussion, council members made it clear they did not want to use traffic cameras as a revenue source and they want to keep them as just a safety measure.
“I’m happy to remove traffic cameras from the budget priorities,” Deputy Mayor Navarra Carr said. “I am opposed to having this in the plan. I won’t be supporting a budget that includes this item in it.”
Two more short-term revenue source priorities was ballfield partnerships and cruise ship fees. Staff recommended the partnerships continue as planned and said the agreement with cruise ships is up for renewal now with anticipated collection increases coming to council for approval.
“I’m happy to make our cruise ships pay more,” Carr said.
Under long-term priorities was tax increment financing, which staff called quite a heavy lift. Council voted to discuss the item at a later date.
Another long-term priority is the creation of a regional fire authority, which would encompass two or more fire jurisdisctions and be created by a vote of the people. Council voted for discussions between districts to continue.
A vacant property registry could be used as a revenue source, but it also was described as a heavy lift with staff recommending exploring it for a future budget year.
Under expenditures, staff is pursing grant funding through House Bill 2015 for up to four police officers and a records specialist.
“We do believe we are eligible and have a good chance of securing those funds,” Carrizosa said.
A general government project manager was under expenditures as well, but staff recommended only including it in the 2026 budget if grant funding is received.
During discussion, council member Lindsey Schromen-Wawrin said that should be a high priority for staff, especially if the project manager has grant writing experience.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached by email at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
