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Special City Council Strategic Planning Meeting Saturday, February 7, 2009 Page 18 Mayor Klausing spoke in support, only as a short-term measure for 2009, and only for the 2009 budget year, use of reserves. Mayor Klausing opined that he didn't anticipate the return by the state of MVHC anytime soon; and noted that the City needed to look at long-term structural changes. Mayor Klausing opined that, if the City didn't look at use of reserves or increased taxes, it needed to increase revenue through non-tax means or through elimination of services and/or programs. Councilmember Pust opined that she hoped that discussion was geared toward budgeting for performance or outcomes; since it was impossible to take budgets that had already been squeezed out and then find another $400,000 in reductions. Councilmember Pust, while not supporting the use of reserves, opined that in this short-term, it maybe the only viable solution. Councilmember Pust opined that the City needed a new or fresh approach, rather than continuing to take a system from the 1970's and keep shaving off old government; further opining that it needed to be considered from the bottom line, starting from scratch, to make the numbers add up. Councilmember Pust opined that this process discussed today, had been too depressing; and that staff needed to look at a different Chart of Accounts and start fresh, based on today's technology, staff's expertise; and the sophisticated citizens and clientele that the City serves. Councilmember Pust suggested that staff and the City Council look at the process creatively from a perspective of starting a new City, and the services that City should provide. Mayor Klausing concurred; opining that this was an exciting opportunity to do budgeting for outcomes; however, he expressed concern in realistically providing core services and quantifying those services and programs (i.e., police patrol car services versus park and recreation programming) based on priorities and essential needs. Councilmembers concurred that the uniqueness of Roseville, its citizens, and their quality of life preferences became a subjective part of the discussion 8. Budgeting for Outcomes Process and Support City Manger Malinen briefly reviewed the purpose and process for budgeting for outcomes in developing a priority system for budgeting. City Manager Malinen concurred with observations of Finance Director Miller that many function of the City are mandatory; however, he noted that others are discretionary and allow the City to cost out a level of service to be provided, then make decisions -with community input - on that level for long-term decision-making strategies of how to finance equipment replacement; how to depreciate buildings; and other fundamental and structural things. Discussion included assumptions based on the priority level assigned to that portion of the budget or service; fixed costs versus discretionary spending; multi-tasking of current staff and how that works in the proposed budgeting process; and various tiers or levels of service and how that equated to positions (i.e., low, medium, or high levels of service) or whether the service, function, or program was needed at all.