November 23, 2020
The Lakewood City Council adopted the 2021-2022 Biennial Budget at its November 16, 2020 Regular City Council Meeting. Once final updates are made (anticipated in December), the full 2021-2022 Biennial Budget will be posted here.
The full Lakewood City Council meeting at which the budget was adopted can be viewed here:
Importantly, the 2021-2022 Biennial Budget is balanced and takes into account the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the City’s financial resources.
The biennial budget is the most important document the City produces. It acts as a financial roadmap by outlining City spending and priorities for the biennium, which for the upcoming period runs Jan. 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2022.
With the budget in place the City can allocate resources to a variety of programs necessary to move our community forward and meet the Lakewood City Council’s goals and objectives.
As was the case in the previous budgets, the 2021-2022 Biennial Budget represents the City’s continued commitment to prudent fiscal management, effective service delivery and providing the highest quality of life to our residents.
Goal Setting Retreat
Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 emergency, the Lakewood City Council held a goal setting retreat for the 2021‐2022 biennium on March 7, 2020. Similar to the adopted 2019‐2020 Goals, at this retreat the Lakewood City Council identified Economic Development as the most critical goal area for 2021‐2022, followed by Public Safety, Dependable Infrastructure, Transparency, and Fiscal Responsibility.
For Economic Development, the Proposed 2021-2022 Biennial Budget proposes advancements in a number of areas identified by the City Council as priority areas, including continued efforts for targeted development in the Downtown and the Lakewood Station District and expanding building and code enforcement services.
At the retreat, the City Council also identified Human Services, Housing and Homeless Prevention as high priorities. The 2021-2022 Biennial Budget proposes continuing and expanding 15 existing City programs and partnerships that support this area, including continuing the City’s 1% general fund commitment to human services, expanding the highly successful Behavioral Health Contact Team to include two mental health professionals, and working collaboratively with Living Access Support Alliance (LASA) to expand their facilities and programming. LASA is a local nonprofit that provides emergency housing, rapid rehousing and transitional housing in Lakewood, in addition to case management, and a range of other services to prevent homelessness.
Budget Timeline
The2021-2022 Biennial Budget went before the Lakewood City Council for review as the following meetings:
- Oct. 5: City Manager presentation of the 2021/2022 Proposed Biennial budget
- Oct. 7: Department Budget Presentations: City Manager, Community and Economic Development, Parks, Recreation and Community Services, Legal.
- Oct. 14: Department Budget Presentations: Police, Public Works Engineering, Municipal Court, Administrative Services
- Nov. 2: Public hearing on the 2021/2022 Proposed Biennial budget
- Nov. 9: Review of 2019-2020 Proposed Biennial Budget at the City Council Study Session
- Nov. 16: Adoption of the 2021-2022 Biennial Budget