Budgeting for Clayton’s future

CLAYTON, CA (Apr. 16, 2025) — The city of Clayton will officially begin its budget process on Monday, April 21, with a Budget and Audit Committee meeting at 4 p.m. in Hoyer Hall. This marks an important milestone, as it will be the city’s first time adopting a two-year budget.

We remain committed to addressing both immediate and long-term needs while working within our financial limits. Our goal is to maintain the high level of service our community values.

Throughout the process, we will evaluate priorities in key areas such as landscaping, parks and trails, public safety, road and infrastructure improvements, staffing, training and planning for future events.

While budgets can be tight, they also offer flexibility. Our approach will be thoughtful, prudent and focused on making meaningful impacts. This is one of the most important efforts we undertake each year – as a city, a City Council and a community.

Despite the new two-year format, there will continue to be opportunities for mid-year reviews and adjustments as needed.

Here is the budget workshop agenda:

• Revisit and reflect on council goals, building on last year’s goal-setting efforts.
• Review community feedback from last year’s survey and ongoing input.
• Hear department updates and priorities for the next two years.
• Assess the city’s current financial status and projections, including General Fund, Landscape Maintenance District Fund, reserves and long-term obligations, and capital improvement and infrastructure needs.
• Review results from our new Investment Advisory Services agreement with UBS, now managing the city’s investment portfolio.

We also have several current and upcoming projects:

• Roadway paving for 2026. Finalized at the April 1 City Council meeting.
• Clayton Community Library refresh project. Scheduled to begin later this year or early next, in partnership with the county library and Clayton Community Library Foundation.
• Final phase of the Climatec project. Includes installation of a solar array and EV charging station to achieve a net-zero energy site for the library, City Hall and maintenance facility – reducing energy costs and the city’s carbon footprint.

We encourage community members to attend the Budget & Audit Committee meetings and our upcoming budget workshop in May (date to be announced). Visit www.claytonca.gov for updates.

My goal is always to be as transparent and accountable as possible with the community, so if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please contact me at kimt@claytonca.gov or 925-673-7324.