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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday,July 25, 2011 <br /> Page 24 <br /> ly 11, 2011 as previously anticipated. Going forward in future years, Mayor Roe <br /> expressed confidence that the process would continue to improve. <br /> Councilmember Pust expressed her interest in this year's documents providing <br /> comparable year information, not just this year's information. Councilmember <br /> Pust expressed her preference for two years back and two years forward to pro- <br /> vide a long-term picture. <br /> Mr. Miller clarified that there would be no historical cost of 2011 programs; as <br /> staff didn't track costs in the same way they presented the budget program. Mr. <br /> Miller advised that the City Council would receive a historical account per pro- <br /> gram for 2011, 2012 and 2013; but not line item budget costs, only through the <br /> historical tracking by department. Mr. Miller advised that it would be a monu- <br /> mental task for staff to track anything beyond current tracking for the 200 pro- <br /> grams. Mr. Miller advised that the percentage allocations were based on the time- <br /> spent process completed by staff, with some manual corrections as needed; but <br /> that it provided a one-time calculation, with indexing for increased personnel and <br /> supply costs, that should remain fairly accurate on an annual basis as those cate- <br /> gories remain costed out. However, Mr. Miller reiterated that the costs were not <br /> tracked on a more minute level of detail. <br /> At the request of Councilmember Pust, Mr. Miller clarified that the City changed <br /> programs in 2011, department by department and based on the four categories <br /> summarized for each department, compiled in one report based on the current <br /> priority-based budget process. Mr. Miller noted that there would be one report for <br /> tax-supported and one for non-tax-supported budgets. <br /> Councilmember McGehee suggested a new software program or revising the ex- <br /> isting program to provide the level of detail requested of Councilmembers Will- <br /> mus and Pust. <br /> Mr. Miller noted the significant cost and staff hours involved, and changes for <br /> staff responsible to check and record receipts to accommodate cost tracking. Mr. <br /> Miller advised that the City had not followed such a procedure for twelve (12) <br /> years. In response to Councilmember McGehee, Mr. Miller clarified that the <br /> format of the software was for accounting purposes, not budget purposes; and ad- <br /> vised that changes as suggested by Councilmember McGehee would take the rest <br /> of the year just to plan out; in addition to the educational need for about thirty <br /> (30) different people accountable for tracking and recording receipts to be re- <br /> trained. <br /> Mayor Roe noted completion of the time spent study in lieu of the other method <br /> as recommended by Councilmember McGehee. <br />