CC_Minutes_2011_0228 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Regular City Council Meeting Monday, February 28, 2011 Page 23 Councilmembers Pust and McGehee concurred that the list of programs was ac- ceptable. Councilmember Willmus opined that the individual items listed and process was similar to that used prior to the 2008/2009 budget process. City Manager Malinen clarified that it did not include the specificity of programs being funded. Mayor Roe concurred, noting that while a Police Patrol Category was shown, it was now broken down into more specific components. City Manager Malinen sought to confirm that the City Council was interested in a priority-based approach, not a programmatic approach. Councilmember Pust, referencing Attachment A and the anatomy of priority- based budgeting, says the first step demands a discussion on an established levy amount, at which point the list could be prioritized; however, she opined that this was not what had been done to-date. Mayor Roe noted that it was his personal intent to have the levy level discussion early in the process; since that is the intended design of priority-based budgeting process. At the request of Councilmember Pust, Mayor Roe advised that it was his intent, as indicated on the proposed budget calendar, to first have the City Manager present a recommended budget in a vacuum and in general terms based on the list of programs in Attachment B and showing what was needed to fund those programs, with the City Council then providing further refinement and their preferred levy level, and staff returning to the City Council with a budget based on that levy level and its related implications. Councilmember Pust disagreed, opining that the first step should be setting the levy level. Mayor Roe advised that it had been the mutual conclusion of he and City Manag- er Malinen and Finance Director Miller that the levy needed to be set and the City Manager recommendation would proceed on the basis of that; however, there was a need to have the prioritization exercise done so staff was aware of City Council priorities to allow them to determine what could or could not be funded, which would need to be reduced, and which could be funded. Councilmember Pust opined that it should be both a qualitative and quantitative issue, with prioritization saying the levy was established at a certain level. Mayor Roe opined that prioritization tells you what it should be, and the various programs that can be funded by funding sources available.