The Cathedral City Council unanimously approved its biennial budget on Wednesday, earmarking money for areas including improvements to parks and sidewalks and a handful of new employees.

Cathedral City adopts budgets for two years at a time in order to save time and money, and the council has held several meetings to discuss the topic over the past several months.

Here are some highlights from the city’s plan for fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25:

$8.5 million from reserves

The budget as adopted projects $67 million in revenue in 2023-24 and $64.6 million the following year. But it calls for spending of $69.6 million and $70.4 million in the two years.

The total deficit of almost $8.5 million will reduce the general fund balance — money the city keeps in reserve — from about $39 million to $30.5 million.

But Kevin Biersack, the city's financial services director, said the budget is "structurally balanced" because it contains many one-time discretionary expenses and doesn't commit the city to ongoing spending it can't afford.

The city’s adopted budget document states staffing has declined from 238 full-time employees in 2007-8 to 221 in 2023-24 and 223 in 2024-25.

Cathedral City's budget plans for 4.5 additional positions: economic development analyst, grants/analyst/coordinator, environmental conservation analyst, fire marshal and deputy fire chief, according to a press release. The fire marshal is the half position and will work 20 hours per week.

Fixes for sidewalks, bike lanes and more

The council also approved plans for capital and park improvements for 2024 to 2028. The capital improvements plan has earmarked the following funds for the next two years, according to the city’s adopted budget document:

• $17,568,506 for 2023-24 and $9,438,015 for 2024-25 for current projects.

• $10,026,886 for 2023-24 and $2,732,500 for 2024-25 for new projects.

• $6,260,000 for unspecified projects in 2023-24.

This money will go toward several long-term and maintenance projects that are meant to improve the city’s physical systems and/or facilities.

Current projects include Dream Homes Park, and bike lane and sidewalk improvements along Date Palm, Cathedral Canyon and East Palm Canyon drives. New projects include street improvements around Panorama Park and public alleyway reconstruction on Landau Boulevard.

Upgrading the city’s parks

Cathedral City has committed to improving parks throughout the city. Its plan for doing so calls for spending $780,000 in 2023-24 and $2,340,000 in 2024-25, according to the city’s adopted budget document.

In the past few years the city has done or approved projects including new playground equipment at Century Park and several fixes at Panorama Park, including a dog park, playground shade structures and new benches and barbecue stands.

The 2024-25 budget earmarks $750,000 toward a new downtown dog park, plus an additional $750,000 in grant funding. The city has been making steps toward eventually building this park at the site of the former Second Street Park.

Other plans include installing a new splash pad at the Town Square Fountain of Life, lighting for the basketball court and baseball field in Panorama Park, and installing an outfield fence for the baseball field in Ocotillo Park.

Ani Gasparyan covers the western Coachella Valley cities of Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City. Reach her at ani.gasparyan@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Cathedral City getting upgrades to parks, bike lanes, sidewalks