The Goleta City Council recently reviewed updates to the preliminary two-year budget for the city, with specific focus on funding for the Goleta Library and Book Van, a Creeks and Watershed Management Plan, and programs funded by the Measure B sales tax increase.
The council previously looked at the preliminary budget in early May, when the council provided city staff with feedback on priorities for the budget.
During that May meeting, public commenters expressed disappointment in Measure B funds being used for the San Jose Creek Channel Fish Passage Improvement Project that the city is already required to do.
Community members and representatives of local environmental organizations expressed that they wanted Measure B to fund new, voluntary projects.
In the June 6 meeting, city staff returned to the council with an updated table of Measure B projects and programs.
Updates to that section include the addition of a $150,000 funding reserve for the Creeks and Watershed Management Plan and decreases to Economic Development Plan implementation and to Old Town projects funding to account for that funding reserve.
The San Jose Creek fish passage improvement project was taken out of the Measure B chart and will receive funding from elsewhere in the budget.
The section now also reflects the increase in the Sheriff’s Office contract for services in Goleta.
“It was mentioned that [Measure B] should only be for new projects,” Councilman Kyle Richards said. “I just want to clarify because, in my mind, what we talked about with Measure B was unfunded priorities. So, these are priorities that we’ve identified that we didn’t necessarily have money for that, if it was passed, that we would be able to fund. … I guess I just want to clarify that I think there’s a difference when we talk about Measure B spending — there’s a difference between unfunded priorities and new projects.”
The new Creeks and Watershed reserve will fund the implementation and prioritization process of the Creeks and Watershed Management Plan, which is set to take place this summer.
Some existing work efforts that staff discussed include full trash capture and street sweeping; a Creeks and Watershed Management Plan contract to develop programs, priorities and schedules; watershed assessments; defensible space programs and fire risk and sedimentation reduction; and abandoned encampment cleanups.
Upcoming projects include the Eckwill Street and Fowler Road extensions, the San Jose Creek Bike Path and the Ellwood Mesa/Sperling Preserve Butterfly Management Plan.
The Goleta Library Book Van that serves Isla Vista was funded through a two-year pilot program with state funding, but as the funding is fully expended, city staff shared that in July, Book Van service would decrease to 10 hours per week, instead of the current 20 hours per week.
Bookvan service also would be expanded to the Goleta Library’s whole service area.
Because the City Council wanted to continue providing 20 hours of Book Van service, city staff recommended that the city contribute $50,000 to allow for 10 hours of Book Van service in the whole service area, and that the city request that the county contribute $50,000 to cover an additional 10 hours of service in Isla Vista specifically.
More information on Goleta’s two-year budget is available in the item’s staff report. The council is expected to adopt the budget for fiscal year 2023-24 and 2024-25 during the June 20 meeting.