Tukwila, Washington Development News

Public Works Department Outlines 2027-2028 Budget Priorities and Operational Strategies

The Public Works Director, Jen Tatotson, presented an overview of the Public Works Department's services, budget, staffing, accomplishments, challenges, and budget considerations for the 2027-2028 biennium. The department manages water, sewer, stormwater, flood protection, solid waste, traffic operations, and city building maintenance. The operating budget for 2026 is $34 million, with $10.2 million from the general fund. Key challenges include vandalism, historical underinvestment in facilities, and reliance on consultants. Strategies to address these involve data-driven decisions, expanding C-Click Fix, new capital management systems, preventive maintenance programs, and potentially bringing more work in-house. Budget priorities include regulatory compliance (federal and state), system condition assessment, customer service, and capital improvement program. A proposal to create a new internal services fund for facilities maintenance, moving approximately $4 million from the Public Works General Fund, was discussed.