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Regular City Council Meeting <br /> Monday, September 17, 2018 <br /> Page 2 <br /> The establishment of a Cash Reserve (Cash Carry-Forward)Fund <br /> Commissioner Bachhuber stated the goal of this items was to do a couple of <br /> things. The first is seeking to segregate capital and be clear within each fund <br /> what monies were set aside for capital use. The Commission also wants to make <br /> sure that all of the operating funds have the appropriate dollars to handle any cash <br /> flow throughout the year. By doing that, the City Council can understand how <br /> much money is available for spending, tax relief, etc. by putting all of the money, <br /> in excess of what is needed for capital and cash flow purposes, in a central place. <br /> This will make the money available more transparent to the Council and the deci- <br /> sion-making process. <br /> Commissioner Bachhuber reviewed the process of the Cash Reserve Fund with <br /> the Council. <br /> Mayor Roe asked what the timing of the decision would be making once the <br /> funds are swept into the carryforward fund, since that happens at the end of a cal- <br /> endar year and the Council does not know the final results until into the next cal- <br /> endar year. At that time, the Council starts on decision making for items for the <br /> next calendar year budget. <br /> Commissioner Bachhuber stated sweeping the money does not require the Coun- <br /> cil to take any action on it. It puts the funds in a place where it is clearly delineat- <br /> ed. It would be reasonable to say for the next cycle coming forward the Council <br /> would know there was money in the fund to use if needed. It may also provide <br /> some flexibility throughout the year. <br /> Chair Schroeder indicated the Council does not have to do anything with the <br /> funds,but the Council and staff would know the funds were there. <br /> Council Etten stated the Council is given a report showing where individual fund <br /> balances are in relationship to the minimum and maximum reserve levels required <br /> by policy. He wondered why the City should pull any excess money into a sepa- <br /> rate target pool versus the report staff gives them. He stated when he looks at the <br /> budget, seeing where it came from is a very helpful thing versus looking at a lump <br /> sum in a fund. <br /> Commissioner Bachhuber stated the Commission thought that by centralizing the <br /> money and putting the excess in one place would make it easier for both the <br /> Council and the public to understand when there is excess. Currently there is a <br /> co-mingling of both capital and cash flow funds in one place which makes it hard <br /> to determine what is there without doing the math. The other piece is to under- <br /> stand, the Commission views all of this as the City's money, it is not the different <br /> departments' money and by sweeping the funds that are not needed for cash flow <br /> makes it clear that the excess is the City's money. This does not have any impact <br />