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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, January 07, 2008 Page 10 d. Consider Adopting 2009 Budget Calendar City Manager Malinen provided a suggested 2009 budget calendar, noting the ad- dition of a Public Hearing during the summer months to hear citizen or stake- holder budget suggestions or requests. City Manager Malinen also noted the ear- lier City Council deadline for submitting individual budget suggestions or re- quests. Discussion included advantages of advisory group strategic planning and initia- tives early in the budgeting process; public sense of where their tax monies were being spent outside departments and staff needs (i.e., external agencies); and the context of presentations by external groups (i.e., preferred explanation of their purpose and activities, rather than a pitch for money). Mayor Klausing expressed support for moving up the Council deadline for sub- mitting individual budget suggestions or requests. Councilmember Pust spoke in support of the overall calendar; however, ques- tioned inclusion of performance-based management and/or budgeting, and how to facilitate that into the budgeting process. Councilmember Pust spoke in support of initiating performance-based budgeting now, if the Council was still interested in doing so; and questioned how that would affect this proposed calendar. Mayor Klausing expressed his interest in budgeting for outcomes; however, noted that during previous discussions, management staffing changes were taking place, and suggested that City Manager Malinen be allowed time to express his interest in pursuing the process, if the Council was still interested. Councilmember Pust suggested that further discussion be held regarding whether budgeting for outcomes works in a local government context, when 86% of the budget represented fixed costs for staff; or whether discussions and considerations were simply driven by timing in past fiscal years. Councilmember Pust opined that there was substantial information available from those past discussions to fa- cilitate arenewed discussion to determine if it will work "yet" or "ever." Council consensus was to add discussion on performance based management and budgeting as a future agenda item. Councilmember Roe suggested an addition to the proposed calendar, at the begin- ning of the year, to project 2009 residential and commercial property values, and the anticipated tax base (i.e., status of TIF Districts, legislative changes impacting municipal taxes); prior to or concurrent with budget goals and priorities.