After mounting a seemingly aggressive campaign during the primary, in a conversation regarding the upcoming general election, Kenmore City Council candidate Diane Brennan seemed to have mellowed her approach.

Nevertheless, she and incumbent Laurie Sperry have some sharp differences. Perhaps most notably, Brennan continues to insist that the city is facing a looming budget deficit.

“Kenmore does not have a budget deficit,” Sperry countered flatly, stating the city has $2.3 million in reserves in its general fund and roughly a $1.2 million rainy day fund. She said the city of Kenmore has no debt, noting that’s both an unusual and favorable position for any municipality.

Finally, Sperry stated the city has saved money for capital improvement projects since the day it was incorporated just over a decade ago.

In a “Letter to the Editor” sent to the Reporter, as well as in comments made later, Brennan criticized Kenmore’s current council for holding what she said was a little-advertised, afternoon meeting to discuss the city budget.

Sperry countered that Brennan did not even attend the meeting and was basing her comments as to the substance of that meeting on second-hand information. She also said the entire point of the session was to announce that Kenmore has no budget deficit.

For her part, Brennan admitted she was not at the council meeting in question, but offered several e-mails full of documentation she claimed back up her assertions.

Distilled down considerably, Brennan’s basic argument is that the original financial plan for the city, created when Kenmore was incorporated, called for saving money toward needed capital improvements.

But unlike Sperry, Brennan argues that over the years, that surplus account has been eroded at least in part by the purchase of the Kenmore Village shopping plaza, slated for a well-advertised — and currently stalled — transformation into a mixed-use residential/retail development.

But even beyond the capital budget, Brennan is just as adamant regarding an alleged coming deficit in Kenmore’s general fund. According to Brennan’s interpretation of the city’s budget figures, Kenmore’s expenses will outstrip its revenues for the first time this year and that trend will continue for the next six years.

Among other councilmembers, Mayor David Baker is decidedly arguing the same as Sperry, that the city has no deficit in the making. Taking the other side, Councilman John Hendrickson said the city is headed for deep trouble in terms of its operating and capital budgets.

Hendrickson’s general contention is virtually the same as Brennan’s.

In terms of capital expenses, Brennan feels Kenmore specifically is headed for problems with funding for the rebuilding of State Route 522. She said Baker and other officials have travelled as far as Washington, D.C. in search of money for the street, only to return empty handed.

“They’ve gone a few times and nothing seems to have come of it,” Brennan said, adding she fears the city might end up facing a very expensive construction bill. “There’s just some concern about the management of the project.”

Sperry countered that all SR 522 construction is fully funded except for a final portion, work on which has not been started.

“What you see now, the work you see now, is funded and being completed,” she said.

Baker, Sperry and other current city officials have been open about the fact that funding for the third section is not secured. The third section is the western most end of Kenmore’s portion of the street. Sperry said no work will begin on that section until funding is in place, that Kenmore will never get stuck with any bill for the roadway.

“It just may have to come in smaller pieces,” she said of the final bit of reconstruction.

In other areas, Brennan talked about Kenmore facing some major infrastructure problems, especially a need for sidewalks.

She also contends traffic is a problem, pointing specifically to concerns at Juanita Way and also at 61st Street.

“I don’t have a solution,” Brennan said, but added that addressing those locations should be a city priority.

Moving away from controversies, Sperry said she simply wants to put the knowledge and expertise she believes she gained during her first term on council to work in moving forward with some of the city’s plans.

“The city is 11 years old and it’s sort of in a new stage … It’ll be exciting to see what we can do with this. We have a positive direction.”