Members of the Tumwater City Council convened last week and, while they had no measures or ordinances up for discussion and possible approval on their agenda, councilors did hold a public hearing for an amendment to the Thurston County city’s 2025-2026 biennial budget.
According to Tumwater Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, who broke down the amendment to the councilors during their July 7 meeting, the amendment was triggered by a number of factors including minor cost allocation adjustments, an increase in lodging tax funds, and record participation in the Tumwater Youth Program, which caused additional expenditures to be needed. He added there were some small errors and duplications in the original budget.
In the city’s general fund in 2025, while revenues decreased by $10,010, expenditures decreased more, by a total of $85,750. Across all funds, the amendment adds $15,690 in revenue and $62,150 in expenditures.
For 2026, general fund revenues increased by $36,270 and expenditures increased by $975,767, and across all funds revenues increased by $1,338,827 with expenditures increasing by $5,035,256.
Some of the expenditure increases were linked to the city’s purchase of the old Olympia Brewing building — colloquially known as the Lodge Building — earlier this year, Thurston County Opioid Task Force funding, and setting aside funds to purchase a new fire engine as well as cancer screening for firefighters and repairs to existing engines and ambulances.
“And the (Davis Meeker) Garry Oak Tree, when we got the initial estimate for the care and maintenance of the tree, it was estimated at $25,000,” Niemeyer said. “The bids actually came back at about $75,000, so we need a little more for that.”
Currently, Tumwater’s 2025-2026 biennial budget had a beginning fund balance of $23,044,819, with revenues and total resources leaving the city with $119,874,976. Original expenditures were estimated at $102,417,811, leaving the city with an ending fund balance of $17,457,165, according to the budget document on the city’s website.
The budget amendment will be up for approval during the Tumwater City Council’s next meeting, scheduled for July 21.
To view Tumwater’s current budget, visit the city’s website at https://tinyurl.com/bd37nmhh. The proposed amendment can be found starting on page 156 of the Tumwater City Council’s July 7 meeting agenda packet, available online at https://tinyurl.com/44h4rex7.
Along with holding the public hearing for the proposed budget amendment, a proclamation was also made declaring the month of July National Park & Recreation Month, with Tumwater Parks & Recreation Director Chuck Denney being honored by the council and accepting the proclamation on behalf of his department.
“A shoutout to my staff, because they’re fantastic people that do great things and care very deeply about their job and what they do for the City of Tumwater,” Denney said.
He added aside from city park and golf course maintenance and upkeep, the department also organizes an annual summer park concert series and free family movie screenings on projectors, among other events throughout the year. For more information about upcoming Tumwater parks events, visit the Tumwater Parks & Recreation Department’s website at https://tinyurl.com/yk46xhjb.
