-Editorial
The Brawley City Council took action on February 18 to approve budget adjustments related to unanticipated revenues for the Fire Department and a professional engineering design contract for a street rehabilitation project.
The council approved a budget adjustment for the Brawley Fire Department to allocate $140,419.23 in reimbursements received from the State of California for personnel deployment to wildfire incidents in 2024.
In September 2024, the Brawley Fire Department responded to the “Boone” fire in Fresno County and was subsequently redeployed to the “Line” fire in San Bernardino County. These deployments were conducted under the California Fire Assistance Agreement (CFAA), which reimburses personnel hours at pre-determined rates, including a 10% administrative surcharge.
The total reimbursement consisted of $13,381.19 for the “Boone” incident and $127,038.04 for the “Line” incident. Staff recommended that $113,815.12 be allocated to overtime expenditures, while the remaining $26,604.11 be used for equipment purchases to enhance daily operations.
The approved budget adjustments include adding $140,419.32 to the State Reimbursement-Strike Teams revenue, allocating $113,815.12 for overtime expenses, and designating $26,604.11 for equipment purchases.
The council also awarded a contract to The Holt Group, Inc. for the design phase of the Street Rehabilitation Project – Phase I. The contract, not exceeding $59,561.84, will cover engineering design, construction cost estimates, and technical specifications.
This project follows the council’s May 7, 2024, decision to award The Holt Group a contract to develop a Citywide Pavement Management System. Based on the system’s findings, funding will be allocated for the pavement of various city streets.
The Holt Group, an approved on-call consultant for professional engineering services, will oversee the design improvements. Upon completion of the firm’s street condition assessment, the project will be incorporated into the FY24-25 Capital Improvement Plan Budget, with budget adjustments including a $59,561.84 transfer to the Streets Capital Improvement Program (CIP), a $59,561.84 transfer from Measure D funds, and $59,561.84 allocated for professional services. No alternative actions were recommended for either agenda item.
In additional items, the Brawley City Council received and filed the First Quarter Fiscal Year 2024/25 Treasury Report for the period ending September 30, 2024.
The report, presented by Finance Director Silvia Luna and Temporary Assistant Finance Director Veronica Alvarado, showed a $5.73 million decrease in the city’s total investment portfolio, which dropped from $84.56 million in June 2024 to $78.83 million in September 2024 due to operational activity. The portfolio remains within policy limits for investment types, allocation, and ratings.
Investment transactions during the quarter included $5.99 million in matured or redeemed investments and $6.09 million in new purchases, including a $5.6 million U.S. Treasury investment with a 4.78% yield. The city’s average investment yield was 2.91%, slightly down from 2.94% in June 2024.
The City Treasurer will continue following a “buy and hold” investment strategy, prioritizing liquidity and long-term financial stability. The city plans to invest in LAIF (Local Agency Investment Fund), U.S. Treasuries, and other government-backed securities while ensuring sufficient cash flow for the next six months.
