Arvada proposes $412 million two-year budget, adding six jobs
The plan projects a 3.86% increase in the 2027 payroll budget and a 15.9% rise in health-care costs, while forecasts show funding pressures in later years.
Arvada’s city manager has proposed a $412 million budget for 2027 and 2028 that would add six positions. The City Council reviewed the plan at a Sept. 22 workshop, where the city presented the proposal; the workshop was not an adoption vote.
The proposed jobs are an emergency-management specialist, a parks worker whose duties would include graffiti removal, three police officers initially supported by a federal grant, and a stormwater foreman. The city manager described the staffing plan as cautious after the city added 106 positions in the previous six years.
The proposed 3.86% increase in the 2027 payroll budget combines a 2% market adjustment with step increases for eligible employees and job reclassifications. It is an overall budget impact, not a uniform raise for every employee.
Health-care costs are projected to rise 15.9%, down from an initial estimate of more than 22% after plan changes, staff said. The city plans to use some medical-trust reserves to cushion the increase while resetting premiums to rebuild the reserve. Staff said benefits would not be eliminated, though some employees’ out-of-pocket costs would rise.
Long-range forecasts show funding pressures in later years, not a current fund-balance shortfall. Finance staff projected a General Fund gap against the city’s financial goal beginning in 2033, reaching about $9 million in 2034—down from about $21 million in the previous model. Staff also projected a parks-fund deficit in 2032. The finance director said the General Fund projection was not a negative fund balance and that the city had time to address the gap.
The three police positions would receive support for three years through the federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant, which covers up to 75% of an officer’s salary, capped at $125,000. Police staff said the General Fund would eventually take on a significant share of the cost.
The city’s budget page identifies the 2027–2028 budget as proposed. The council meeting calendar lists Oct. 6 as the next business meeting; it does not identify that date as a budget vote.