CC_Minutes_2017_0410 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday, April 10, 2017 Page 12 prepared to create this fund tonight without receiving their input and any suggest- ed improvements. At the request of Councilmember Willmus, Finance Director Miller reported on the context of Finance Commission discussions about this topic in the past four months, with the sentiment by several commissioners that it seemed to create a complex structure to get at what was available or appropriate for the next budget cycle. Mr. Miller further reported on a nuance he had suggested as part of their consideration and similar to his suggestion to the City Council tonight, was possi- ble unintended consequences in taking away multi-year budgetary management foci of departments and how that impacts today’s management or business mode l with resources deferred or needed for tomorrow; ultimately changing how you chose to manage those resources. Mr. Miller stated the need to have internal dis- cussions with management staff and give that further consideration for long -range budget management. Councilmember Willmus opined that, in his viewing of Finance Commission meetings and talking with individual commissioners, he found them quite su p- portive of this and the ability to separately track those dollars from year to year. Therefore, Councilmember Willmus advised that he would not support this mo- tion to return to the Finance Commission; but would support a motion to create a carryover fund. Councilmember Laliberte sought clarification from Mr. Miller if his comments indicated that department s would consider this as a warning to spend their money before yearend to avoid losing carryover dollars. Finance Director Miller clarified that his comments were in no way intended to be taken that way; and clarified that currently department management evolved over years, and if dollars weren’t available in one year, needs could perhaps be moved to the next budget cycle. Therefore, Mr. Miller advised that his only concern, without having talked to management staff to hear their perspectives, was that such an action may create additional challenges not currently present, and have consequences not yet identified without having those internal, staff-level discus- sions. Councilmember Etten stated that he would support the motion for more formal discussion and recommendation from the Finance Commission. While understanding that this had been discussed by the Finance Commission, Mayor Roe advised that he was seeking a formal recommendation from them. With Councilmember Laliberte noting the Finance Commission was scheduled to meet tomorrow night, Mr. Miller suggested that in order for him to provide guid- ance for the Commission on unanswered questions brought up tonight, those staff