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<br />City Council Special Meeting -12/27/04 <br />Minutes - Page 4 <br /> <br />opinion that future budget years would be any less challenging <br />than the 2005 budget. <br /> <br />Mayor Klausing requested that public comment related to the <br />2005 budget and levy be held until after Council discussion had <br />been completed. <br /> <br />In response to Mayor Klausing's questions, Finance Director <br />Miller noted that, upon further internal review within the Police <br />Department, it was determined that there would be less of an <br />impact in reducing the CSO or Cadet positions of one full-time <br />equivalent position, as opposed to the records management <br />position due to the status of the system at this time; allowing the <br />department to take advantage of attrition and keep allocated <br />dollars flowing to meet the needs that were the greatest. <br /> <br />Police Chief Carol SIetner addressed the full-time record <br />technician position, along with other staffing in the record <br />technology division (six positions); and a recent completion of <br />time allocation studies that went into the actual day-to-day duties <br />that were outside records management and data entry. Police <br />Chief Sletner noted that it would be difficult to sustain another <br />full-time position loss within the records management <br />department, as those positions had absorbed duties formerly <br />performed by the Deputy Chief position that had been <br />eliminated. <br /> <br />Councilmember Ihlan questioned how and why certain parts of <br />the budget that impacted the tax levy were considered, rather <br />than also giving consideration across the board to all departments <br />and functions. Councilmember Ihlan cited the Community <br />Development Department's budget and fee-based revenue <br />sources. Councilmember Ihlan expressed concern that the City's <br />budget was structured to allow some departments to be insulated, <br />opining that all of the monies were public monies; further <br />opining that she found the budget structure and process <br />frustrating. Councilmember Ihlan encouraged Councilmembers <br />to consider a different style of budgeting process in future years <br />to achieve more Council control over the budget and process. <br />Councilmember Ihlan specifically addressed the Economic <br />Development Consulting Fees, particularly for the Twin Lakes <br />