Finance Comm Minutes 09-10-2019 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Finance Commission Minutes September 10, 2019 Page 3 of 12 Commissioner Murray did not disagree but was not sure if the Finance Commission should be making this decision as to moving the money around and funding. He thought this was a Council discussion. Commissioner Harold agreed but indicated the Council kicked this to the Finance Commission to find out if this sort of project would merit the use of money from the Reserve Fund. He thought this type of project would. He noted in regard to bullet point three he did not think the Finance Commission could decide if this project was the best use for the money because there have not been any other requests. He was not comfortable saying this would be the number one priority for the money but he thought this project, if the Council deemed it a priority for the city, would be a valid project for the money, if the money were there but he did not think the city had the money that the Parks and Recreation Commission was requesting. Commissioner Murray agreed but thought the Council should make the decision. Commissioner Harold indicated he was in the same mind frame as Commissioner Murray, but the city Council asked for the Finance Commission’s input and that would be his input. Commissioner Harold agreed that he did not think this Commission should give a thumbs up or thumbs down but he thought the questions that the Finance Commission is being asked about whether the project could merit the use of the money and based on the available money he thought those are fair questions. Commissioner Sagisser thought while looking through the documentation regarding the Cash Reserve Fund that it sounds like there is no real definition of what that fund is for. The Commission agreed. Commissioner Sagisser wondered if that was the reason why this item was sent back to the Finance Commission. Would this be an opportunity to define the fund a little bit and what it is for? Chair Hodder asked for clarity on the rationale that the Council was thinking when this item was sent back to the Commission. Mr. Trudgeon thought it was a matter of getting the Finance Commission’s opinion on whether the Cash Carry Forward Fund should be used for this type of program and also kicked down to the Commission more of a general policy on how that fund can be used. He knew the Commission previously talked about it and in the end came to a conclusion that it is up to the Council to decide. He thought if the Commission came back to the Council with a mixed recommendation that would be ok. Chair Hodder thought that programs needed to be funded in the budget process and levy and not in the Cash Reserve Fund. There are many competing interests and that is where the Council has to make that call. He thought this particular program can be funded and additional monies can