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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, August 25,2014 Page 27 proposed use of reserves; use of the reserve notes for information purposes only; identification and clarification of discretionary reserves; Roe moved, Willmus seconded, to direct staff to use the sample document as pre- sented for the most part, including the line specific to reserve use for tax relief. Mayor Roe opined that he thought it important to send a message that the City Council believed in tax relief when possible and wanted to retain the line as part of the policy for City finances in reviewing whether such relief was prudent; and also spoke in support of Councilmember Willmus' suggestion for future consider- ation of a property relief tax fund. Mayor Roe noted that, over time the wording may change,but for the most part he found this a good step. Councilmember Laliberte concurred, supporting including the line about reserves, even if no number was available in the initial budget process, but she did want to see the aggregate number included; with Mayor Roe agreeing that fit the intent of his motion. Councilmember McGehee stated that she could not support the motion without having a list of things, and the policy recommendation from the Finance Commis- sion, which she did not find included within the language of the proposed motion or sample document. If the consensus was for retaining the property tax relief line, Councilmember McGehee opined it could be done, but not related to the re- serves,just potential property tax relief. Councilmember McGehee noted that the Finance Commission provided three options for the policy for money over the av- erage aggregate amount, but opined that this was now becoming highly specific and flew in the face of that policy recommendation. Councilmember Etten concurred with Councilmember McGehee's comments; opining that he found it troubling for a budget document assuming reserves will be used to patch together an annual budget, even if at zero, and never forcing the City Council to make a decision to make the budget work with ongoing or availa- ble dollars. If the council didn't support that level of spending, Councilmember Etten suggested the option should be to then bring the budget and levy down to a level that would work; otherwise this motion allowed expenditures above what the council was willing to levy for. Councilmember Willmus opined that having the reserve line included was appro- priate, even if at zero, and asked individual Councilmembers to keep in mind where those reserves came from: taxpayers of the community who were essential- ly paying in advance for future considerations through reserves. Councilmember Willmus also noted that, if those reserve balances were excessive and not just healthy, the taxpayers should be confident that the City Council would take steps to address them and reallocate those excess reserves to other funds, or by refund- ing the funds for property tax relief. Councilmember Willmus stated that he had