CC_Minutes_2013_0415 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday, April 15, 2013 Page 13 Finance Director Miller concurred with that interpretation of the budget calendar; unless the City Council preferred another reiteration of the rankings based on to- night's discussion; with formal adoption proposed for April 22, 2013. City Manager Malinen suggested discussion focus on those items having rankings between staff and Councilmembers of two points or more. At the request of Mayor Roe, the ranking rubric brought forward by the Finance Subcommittee and subsequently adopted by the full City Council was restated by City Manager Malinen as follows: Priority Description Ranking 7 Critical to achieve City aspirations 5 Significant to achieve City aspirations 3 Important to achieve City aspirations 1 Desirable to achieve City aspirations Councilmember Laliberte reviewed her interpretation of rankings completely re- moving community aspirations from her review, and considering "7" as critical based on mandatory statutory requirements to address public safety or assets; "5" as good or important, but maybe not required; "3" as nice to have; and "1" indi- cating services could be provided without it. Mayor Roe opined that he didn't see that interpretation or review to be problemat- ic from his perspective. Councilmember McGehee stated that she looked at the exercise differently, seeing few things absolutely critical beyond providing emergency, water, sewer, and public safety services, based on that identification from the Cobalt Survey in her rankings. Since everyone know how the City is run, Councilmember McGehee opined that Councilmembers were aware of how residents liked thinks done and their desire to keep things the way they are, at no cost. While that is not a func- tion the City Council is able to achieve, or reduce using this method, Coun- cilmember McGehee expressed her ongoing frustration and her perceived lack of value in the entire exercise, opining that it didn't have any value nor did it get the City where it needed to go. Councilmember McGehee stated that every Depart- ment Director knew what their department did without any huge input from the public of those activities, other than they wanted more but didn't want to pay for more. Mayor Roe opined that the next critical step is for staff, based on this composite ranking information, was for the City Council to provide direction on a Prelimi- nary Levy level as a target to see if it was possible. At that point, Mayor Roe not- ed that Department Heads and their respective staff would take that figure and see