Johnstown's proposed 2027 General Fund budget of $88.4 million includes $40.5 million for water shares

Johnstown's proposed 2027 General Fund budget totals $88.4 million, including $40.5 million for water shares, as presented to the Town Council at a public hearing Monday.

No action was taken, a staff member said, and the Nov. 2 hearing was one of two the council will conduct. The council will formally approve the budget at a future regular meeting, the staff member said. A staff member said final budget adoption is coming in December.

Unrine said the Council department's costs include water shares, the Sandra Drive project and the senior center project. "The council's $47.5 million in costs makes up 54% of the total expenditures for the general fund," she said.

The Council department's proposed 2027 budget is $47,485,330, including $40,500,000 for water shares and $5,600,000 for other improvements. The proposed General Fund budget assigns $20,185,200 to Buildings, including $19,600,000 in building capital outlay, and $9,233,990 to Police.

General Fund revenues are "primarily tax and fee-based," Unrine said, with property and sales taxes accounting for 83% of them. The proposed budget lists $14,051,881 in property-tax revenue and $19,200,000 in sales-tax revenue for 2027. The presentation lists a Town mill levy of 22.147 and a Library mill levy of 1.80, for a combined Johnstown mill levy of 23.947.

A resident asked the council to replace dead trees at Clearview Park, "not just taken away, but replaced." The resident also asked for "at least 5 new trees" each year along Silver Bell Drive, and said there is no line item in the budget for the work.

Unrine said the original proposed budget was presented at a work session on Sept. 28 and was amended to reflect council's suggestions and updated revenue projections. The budget changes document lists these changes:

• A $318,488 decrease in General Fund balance, including $352,096 in revenue-estimate adjustments
• A $90,191 decrease in Sewer Fund balance, for a bond arbitrage rebate payment
• A $19,500 decrease in Parks & Open Space Fund balance, from operational-estimate adjustments

The Street and Alley Fund budget is $21,322,540, with $47,540,091 in anticipated funds available and an ending fund balance of $26,217,550. The 2027 capital plan lists $7,250,000 for Colo & Hwy 60 construction, $3,900,000 for "PMP/Concrete Maintenance," and $2,000,000 for missing sidewalks. The presentation lists Colorado State Highway 60 and Weld County Road 13 intersection improvements, an alley overlay program and Safe Routes To School among the fund's 2027 highlights.

The 2027 capital plan lists $8,100,000 for Letford park development, $500,000 for cemetery irrigation and $400,000 for cemetery expansion. Unrine said the Conservation Trust Fund's $350,000 in 2027 capital spending is for pickleball courts. The Parks and Open Space Fund budget is $11,213,600, with $21,034,672 in anticipated funds available and an ending fund balance of $9,821,072.

The Water Fund budget is $49,912,545, with $152,836,856 in anticipated funds available and an ending fund balance of $102,924,311. Its proposed 2027 budget includes $36,264,350 in capital outlay and $4,684,000 in debt service. The presentation lists completion of the Water Treatment Plant and raw-water transmission among the fund's budget highlights.

Councilmember Dee Anne Menzies asked whether a later request for recreation-center equipment would require a budget amendment. A staff member said no request for 2027 had been received: "I have not received anything regarding a request for 2027." Additional expenditures would require an amendment, the staff member said: "You would if there were additional expenditures necessary, yes."

The 2027–2036 capital improvement plan lists total projected capital costs of $571,574,230. Its largest items include $106,300,000 over 10 years for water storage and water for CIL in the General Fund, and $56,000,000 for a new Police department in the Capital Projects Fund. It also projects $50,000,000 for a raw-water transmission line in the Water Fund.