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In defining the goal, the Council is advised to consider whether the goal is a clear mandate or an accepted best practice that ought to be strived for. As currently stated, this goal statement does i7ot serve as a formula for financial success rather it serves as a budgeting blueprint. Objectives or Action Steps To achieve this goal (or some revised one), we have tentatively identified the following objectives or action steps that might be needed. They include: 1) Identify the budget-related policies that ought to be considered for discussion 2) Identify the preferred budget review process and all budget-related information needs 3) Prepare a 10-year projection of all known or expected budgeting impacts 4) Align budget decisions with long-term goals Policy examples in Step #i may include; cash reserves, asset replacement, debt issuance, or others. The budget review process may include full departmental reports, an emphasis on only the budgeted increases, or other. Budget information needs might include line-item or summary program budgets, spending trends, comparative data, etc. The 10-year projected costs would necessitate the use of assumptions but would identify all service inputs including personnel costs. Certainly other action steps may need to be identified to give greater clarity to the goal. With these action steps, we will be able to prepare a long-term financial plan that identifies the necessary fundin� to preserve programs and services at their existing level. The Council can then evaluate whether to keep these programs or make changes to existing service levels. Also, these action steps should ensure that the Council gets the necessary information to approve an appropriate and responsible budget. Final Comments Staff welcomes Council input and direction on defining the goal and actions steps above. Staff will be available during the meeting to answer any questions. �