The Los Banos City Council unanimously approved a budget of $165 million which included a 10 percent surplus and pay raises for the council members at their June 17 meeting.
The council also decided to ask voters if they want to continue electing the city treasurer or would prefer the city council fill the position through appointment. The 2026-27 budget was originally presented at the June 3 meeting, so the action was a second reading and approval. Finance Director Minnie Moreno once again went over the basics — $27,756,247 for general fund expenses, $13,308,793 for police. $2,852,705 for fire and the addition of 21 positions, including an assistant city attorney. Moreno also projects a surplus of 10 percent, despite what she described as the “biggest expenditure budget we’ve ever had.”
The city will spend $71.03 million on capital projects, with the most significant being $10 million for Fire Station Four, which includes an Emergency Operations Center. Other major expenditures include $8.9 million for water and sewer projects, $8.3 million for roads, $8.0 million to turn the old police annex into a design services center, $4.5 million for full-scale chromium-6 filtration study, $4.0 million for parks, and $636,867 for new vehicles. Since 1989, councilmembers have been paid $300 a month and the mayor $400. Starting after the November general election, the stipends will rise to $1,275 a month for councilmembers and $1,500 for the mayor.
The increases were approved 4-1 with only councilmember Refugio Llamas voting no.
“The city of Merced, which is twice the population of Los Banos, their compensation is similar to what we receive currently,” Llamas said. The city of Merced pays councilmembers $500 per month, with the mayor receiving $600. Merced City Council relies on a seven person commission for their compensation.
Council Members Mitzy Perez and Marcus Chavez were open to getting a raise but didn’t feel they should adopt the maximum recommendation. Mayor Micheal Amabile assured members that they can choose not to take the full amount, saying he preferred to be paid per meeting.
Mayor-Pro-Tem Deborah Lewis and Amabile argued that the increasing responsibilities of council members required more compensation as the time necessary to fulfill their duties often impacted their careers and personal lives. The council also approved a measure for the November ballot allowing voters to change how the city selects a treasurer. Currently, voters choose the city treasurer.
Amabile made it clear that the city would not be funding any campaign for or against the measure. Finance director Moreno explained that for a city treasurer to be effective, they need municipal finance training and with a city budget of $165 million, the position amounts to “a second job.”
It is not reasonable to expect someone to make such a commitment for only $100 a month. Llamas pointed out that the California State Treasurer is elected and read the requirements aloud, noting that they match the city’s own requirements.
The council also changed contractors for the $8 million Civic Center project. Community and Economic Development Director Stacy Elms said she expects the new contractors, Fortune-Ratliff and Paul Halajian Architects, to be easier to work with. The goal is to renovate city hall and convert the old Police Annex building into a “one-stop shop” for development services, effectively doubling the size of city hall.
“This will give us a lot of room (for) the next 25, 30 years for growth,” Amabile said. In other business, Public Works Director William Via reported that the city is meeting its water conservation goals. State guidelines say the city should use no more than 165 gallons per person a day. Los Banos uses only 146 gallons per day.
Via also reported that $8.95 million is being allocated for roads over the next year. It will allow nearly 1.7 million square feet to be rehabilitated or reconstructed and 60 roads to be crack-sealed.
Juan Lopez was recognized as the city’s Employee of the Month for May. He is an Enviromental Control Specialist for Public Works.
