The Renton City Council is adjusting the 2019-2020 biennial budget to include $103.9 million more in spending, with $92.2 million in carryover from 2018, mostly on capital projects. The other $11.8 million is for new expenses.

This brings the total budget to $629 million for the biennium. There was also a fee schedule resolution to park rental fees and an increase to some building fees, which was approved at the finance committee meeting Monday, April 15.

The Gene Coulon Memorial Park Beach shelters and the other park picnic shelters will now be rented out for the same prices for 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., instead of either 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Fee increases include a $15 increase to all building electrical permit fees, a $1.25 increase to heating system permit fees and a $10 increase to ventilation fan permits.

Budget adjustments include a combination of expenses and revenues, some of which have yet to be brought to council.

One such adjustment is the addition of three staff to handle the capital projects for parks, paid for by a councilmanic bond voted on in late 2018 that increased the city’s property tax rate.

In a memo sent to council, parks staff explained that the two employees currently assigned to the projects are overworked.

They also said that Community Service department staff told council in a previous presentation that they would need additional full-time employees to handle the projects.

The jobs will be paid by money in the bond, according to the memo. Staff said this was within the bond requirements.

Renton Administrative Services Administrator Jan Hawn said this ordinance is standard procedure to re-appropriate funds from the previous year, as well as make new adjustments.