The City’s budget process begins in earnest at the beginning of each year. State law dictates the process used to create the annual budget. The City has several accounts, many are what the state calls “restricted accounts” that must be used for specific purposes. These include roads funds, water funds, sewer funds, and solid waste funds, among others.
The Executive Branch prepares a tentative budget for all accounts which is then presented to the City Council (the Legislative Branch) at the first meeting each May. At that point, it becomes the Council’s budget, and the Council can review, adjust, increase or decrease line items, or department funding depending on the priorities of the City. State law requires that the Final Budget be adopted by the Council by the end of June. Traditionally, the Council has adopted the budget at the second meeting in June.
The Council Subcommittee on the Budget & Audit meets regularly to review monthly financial reports and work on the budget.
Council Member Melissa Worthen serves as Chair of the Council Budget Subcommittee and stated, “The Administrative Services Dept. works hard in preparing each budget and communicates this with the Council by providing and reviewing the monthly financial reports.”
Council Member David Pack, a member of the Council Budget Subcommittee said, “The budget is one responsibility of the Council. We continue to strive to put the City in a better financial position for the benefit of our residents.”
Join the Council on May 12th as the Mayor’s Tentative Budget is presented to the Council and June 9th and June 23rd as the Council reviews and finally adopts the City Budget for Fiscal Year 2022.
