OAKLEY — With an emphasis on infrastructure and public safety, the Oakley City Council approved a $96 million budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Oakley Administrative Services Director Jeri Tejeda said the most significant allocation is $38 million for capital improvement projects. That money includes about $24.7 million for the final phase of the East Cypress Road expansion from Jersey Island to Bethel Island Road, which is expected to start next month.
Tejeda said that out of the $24.7 million allocated, the East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority is expected to reimburse about $21.7 million.
The East Cypress Widening Project is a three-phased, multi-year project between Knightsen Avenue and Bethel Island Road. Its goal is to expand the rural lane road, which often becomes congested during emergencies and is the only exit from the city for some residents. The city has funded approximately $30 million to cover the cost of the first and second phases of the project.
The new roadway will include six lanes west of Jersey Island Road and four lanes to the east, storm drains, buffered bike lanes, canal undergrounding, and five signalized intersections, among changes. The projects are expected to be completed next year.
According to Tejeda, Oakley’s general fund includes about $33.6 million in projected revenues and about $35.9 million in proposed expenditures. Revenue comes mostly from inter-fund charges for services, property taxes, and sales taxes, while the bulk of expenditures go toward salaries and benefits, services, and supplies.
The recently approved budget also provides funding for a temporary third lieutenant position as part of the police department’s succession plan.
According to a staff report, the Oakley Police Department is expected to have a retirement in fiscal year 2025-26 and proposed several months of overlap to allow for the promotion of a sergeant to a lieutenant position.
Tejada said Oakley will soon have 40 sworn police officers, with one or two out with long-term injuries, two new police recruits who graduated from the academy, and one more who will attend the academy next January.
For 2025-26, total transfers out of the general fund are estimated to be around $4.86 million.
This includes about $2.24 million for long-overdue street repair and resurfacing, $115,000 for stormwater funds, and $2.5 million for the reconstruction of Sellers Avenue from East Cypress Road to Delta Road and to remodel the city hall.
The city also noted that the budget includes almost $1 million for its IT plan, which will focus on modernizing Oakley’s services through technology and align with the city’s technology goals and objectives.
During the May 27 City Council budget discussion, Councilmember George Fuller objected to a resolution on capital improvement projects. He said a lot of money was allocated for the construction of Enrico Cinquini Park compared to other parks in the city.
Fuller said there also wasn’t enough funding set aside to ensure that new projects comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, which was allocated only $50,000 in the budget.
“My annoyance is that nobody could tell me how much is spent on ADA in any project. We say, we do put in curb cuts. We do this. We do that. We’re going to put in ADA … but we don’t embrace the concept of ADA. Well, if any money is left over on what we can do, we’ll put something in, and you ought to be happy with that,” said Fuller. “As a disabled person and others with disabilities, we are not happy with that. We want to be on the line, same as everyone else, and not have to wait for the crumbs to trickle down to us.”
Mayor Shannon Shaw said the city has ADA measures and is improving.
“As a disabled person, I know I may not have the physical appearance, but I do have a broken spine, and I’m a permanently disabled person,” said Shaw. “I do appreciate what the staff does in (incorporating compliance) to not only do it for all the capital improvement projects but also find a way to allocate additional funds every single year.”
