EPHRATA – The Ephrata City Council passed its 2025 budget unanimously at the Dec. 4 regular council meeting. The council also discussed an ordinance to make adjustments to the budget which was moved to a second reading and may be considered by vote at the next meeting Dec. 18. 

The budget includes a 1% increase in the Ad Valorem tax rate for property owners in the city.  The grand total of all of the funds is approximately $47.37 million. The proposed budget has around $7.07 million in current expenses. 

“The first budget hearing was conducted on November 6 and the second on Nov. 20,” Finance Director Kristen McDonnell said. “We had our budget worksheets that were distributed to directors, as well as the goals that were sent by the council. We were able to hit all of the goals set by the council as well as most of the goals set by staff.” 

During the Nov. 20 hearing on the budget, McDonnell said some of the expenditures for 2025 included budget software that would help with transparency and make tracking funds more efficient and clearer for staff and members of the public. The city will also be leasing three additional vehicles to ensure staff have what they need to maintain city facilities. One of those vehicles is a paint striper.  

Water infrastructure is the largest expenditure for the city with multiple projects ongoing to improve water and sewer hardware for the city is able to serve the community’s needs.  

Water 

The water and sewer main fund is around $7.5 million plus an additional $20.5 million for water-sewer construction. There is also a water reserve fund of $500,000. Council and staff said the reserve fund is to have money set aside in case of the need for an emergency repair.  

Public Works  

The transportation benefit district was allocated around $2.28 million. The street fund received about $1.07 million and the sidewalk construction was given $122,000. 

Sanitation was granted $2.5 million. The public works trust received approximately $697,000.  

Fire and Police  

The Ephrata Fire equipment reserve was allocated $130,000. The fire bond redemption fund has $61,300.  

Facilities 

The library was granted nearly $277,000 and the convention center received $106,000.  Parks were given around $2.07 million and park development was allocated $470,000.  

The city operates its own cemetery and about $198,000 was allocated for its operation with an additional $5,000 committed to the Cemetery Care Fund.   

Others 

The budget granted $430,000 for capital improvement as well as nearly $744,000 for equipment rentals. 

The Columbia Basin Herald will reach out to the city to discuss the impact of the tax increase on residents and will publish a follow-up story soon.