Kira Erickson reports from the Langley City Council meeting of Tue., Feb. 18, 2025 for the South Whidbey Record. Read the whole story.
The Langley Finance Department has solved its own enigma ahead of the city’s popular Mystery Weekend.
Tuesday night during a city council meeting, Finance Director Kelly Beech cleared up some misconceptions about the issue.
There was never a spare, previously unaccounted $1 million in the city’s accounts, she explained, but instead a variance in reconciling the financial software with the bank. Now, the focus is on a budget amendment, which will be completed within the first quarter.
However, revenues have not kept pace with costs, and the city has had to make some tough calls recently, including the end of passport services and the part-time passport agent position.
They Said It
“The city now has to look at implementing furloughs, limiting lobby hours and potentially selling city-owned property in order to stay in the black,” Beech said.
Mayor Kennedy Horstman acknowledged that Beech’s efforts were the result of months and months of work.
Councilmember Craig Cyr said it’s tremendously comforting to know that when the city gets a number, the city knows that that number is what reconciles at the bank.
“It’s a strange feeling to go through a budgeting process and you don’t know how much things have changed or how far they are off,” he said.
