HERMISTON — The Hermiston City Council at its meeting Thursday night, Jan. 30, passed a supplemental budget of $6.7 million.

The adopted supplemental budget brings the city’s total budget to $116,291, 674.

“A majority of that supplemental budget relates to a couple of projects that we were not aware of as far as the timeline and when they would be happening when we adopted the original budget last year,” City Manager Byron Smith said. “About $5.3 million is reimbursements from Amazon Web Services or from revenues that have come in higher, or we’ve gotten grant funds.”

The city’s general fund was adjusted by $204,000, accounting for additional costs for part-time staff in the areas of court and finance. Smith said the city’s recreation manager costs were reallocated due to “altered duties.” It also covers the cost of drug-testing equipment the Hermiston Police Department will be purchasing.

Smith said the $204,000 is covered by additional revenue that came in above the original budget estimates, as well as from grant funds.

The city’s transient room tax fund has been adjusted by $21,8090 due to increases in the amount of money awarded in local TRT grants. That figure is covered by an increase in TRT collections that came in above original estimates.

The utility fund increases by $727,500 due to what Smith said was an unplanned equipment replacement at Recycled Water Plant. That cost is covered by the first sale of land in the South Hermiston Industrial Park.

The largest adjustment to the budget is $5.2 million in the reserve fund to fund an aquifer storage and recharge project.

Smith the project will “help both our storage requirements in the city but also enhancing our sources of water and being able to pull water out of the aquifer and to be able to use that on an ongoing basis in our system.”

Smith said the city likely will award the contract for the project in February.

The $5.2 million also covers funding for the design of the Regional Water System’s back-up generators and work on Cimmaron Park.

Smith said all the costs of all the projects are covered by grants or reimbursements from Amazon Web Services.

The regional water system fund is adjusted by $35,000 due to reallocation of overtime costs from the utility fund.

The city’s enterprise zone fund will increase by $200,000 to pay for the cost for a health, aquatics and wellness center Feasibility study. That money is covered by contingency funds.

The Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center fund is increased by $500,000 to pay for the design of a potential construction project. Smith said the cost of the design will be covered by reimbursements from one of the city’s partners.

“Hopefully, we can talk about that more in the near future when we can announce some of the specifics of that project,” Smith said.

The city’s information technology fund increases by $62,00 for cybersecurity projects and the purchase of a vehicle.

The council approved the supplemental budget unanimously — 7-0.