Every year, Washougal City Manager David Scott writes a letter to the Washougal City Council about the City’s budget for the upcoming year to provide a high-level synopsis of the governing body’s financial status.
Scott enjoyed the writing process more in 2024 than he usually does.
“It was fun to write this one,” he told the Council during its Oct. 28 workshop session, “because there’s a lot of good stuff happening. It was more fun to write the capital (budget). It barely fits on a page. The font had to be played with to make it fit. It’s kind of amazing to me.”
Scott will ask the Council to approve his proposed 2025-26 budget on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The budget is a culmination of the City’s first biennial budget cycle, which it adopted in early 2024.
“I just want to thank (City finance director) Daniel (Layer) for a really Herculean lift this year, because this is our first biennial budget after years of doing an annual budget,” Scott said. “I think it’s a budget we can be proud of.”
He added that the budget is designed to maintain services in 2025 and 2026, despite a need for more employees.