Belvedere projects $2.07M deficit tied to Beach Road rehab

Belvedere’s preliminary budget projects a $2.07 million deficit for fiscal year 2026-2027, driven largely by the $4.97 million Beach Road seawall stabilization project, which is set to begin construction this summer.

The proposed $14.48 million budget, the largest in Belvedere’s history, includes roughly $2.48 million in rolled-over capital expenditures associated with the Beach Road project. The work will be performed by Walnut Creek-based Gordon N. Ball Construction Inc. under a $3.51 million construction contract awarded April 13, with work tentatively to begin June 1, pending permits and coordination with Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Higher revenues from a new user fee schedule — adopted for the current fiscal year and adjusted upward for next year — are helping the city rebuild the infrastructure reserve, set to be renamed the long-term capital planning fund, to a projected $1.53 million by fiscal year 2030-2031.

The proposed budget also includes $235,000 for a temporary police officer over three years while the city evaluates the long-term structure of its department. Police Chief Jason Wu, who works in a largely administrative role, considers the department fully staffed with six patrol officers. But one position has been held vacant since 2020, forcing substantial overtime and reliance on outside agencies for coverage during absences, disability leave and training.

The city is also allocating $30,000 for an independent study examining both the department’s internal staffing model and broader options, including a possible policing partnership with neighboring jurisdictions — similar to how Belvedere contracts with the Tiburon Fire Protection District for fire and emergency services — potentially without Wu.

Read the complete story in our e-edition, or SUBSCRIBE NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

Comment on this article on Nextdoor.