[Archived] Question #1: Proposed Schedule and Add/Delete Process for FY 2018 Budget Deliberations

As mentioned at the February 21, 2017 presentation of the FY 2018 Proposed Budget, OMB staff is providing a memo that outlines the proposed schedule for the FY 2018 Budget deliberations and the process for your Add/Delete process. This memo includes:

1. A timeline with specific due dates for budget questions.
2. An overview of the Add/Delete process and timeline. City Council established the Add/Delete process rules of engagement in Resolution No. 2746 adopted on November 9, 2016.
3. A timeline with specific dates for public hearings, publication of public notices, worksessions and budget-related legislative or special meetings.
   

Staff Responses to Council Questions on the Proposed Budget and Capital Improvement Program

All questions from members of Council should be sent to OMB Director Morgan Routt by e-mail or asked at Council meetings or work sessions. Staff’s practice is to respond to all questions as soon as feasible. The City Manager may also discuss questions with individual members as needed. The sooner a question is asked, the more likely it is to receive a full and complete answer in time to influence the Add/Delete process. Depending on the complexity of the question, information requested after Friday, April 14^th may be too late for Council members to receive a complete response by April 20^th, the due date for the City Council Budget Add/Delete Proposal forms.   

Add/Delete Process: The City Council shall follow the process outlined below. This process is compliant with the Add/Delete process as outlined in City Council adopted Resolution 2746.

1. Continue the Add/Delete spreadsheet that was produced by OMB prior to the FY 2016 budget process and reintroduced in the FY 2017 budget process.

2. A City Council Budget Proposal form will be required in order to add or delete anything from the City Manager’s Proposed Budget. The form will require the following prior to Council consideration:

3. The completed City Council Budget Proposal form must be returned to the Office of Management & Budget (OMB), with each of the steps from #2 above completed, at least 14 days prior to the adoption of the budget [for FY 2018, April 20].

4. A combined list of all City Council Budget Proposals that meet the criteria in #2, any technical adjustments from OMB, and any City Manager recommended changes, will be provided and discussed at the 2nd Legislative Meeting in April [for FY 2018, April 25].

5. Council will work with OMB to refine/develop funding figures based on the proposals submitted, to be completed 7 days prior to budget adoption [for FY 2018, April 27].

6. Completed Council Budget Proposals, with funding, will be circulated to Council and the public the Friday prior to budget adoption [for FY 2018, April 28].

7. City Council will be required to keep the budget in balance once all decisions are made.

8. Final decisions will be made 72 hours prior to budget adoption and discussed at a Special City Council work session [for FY 2018, May 1].

9. Final decisions will be made available to the public 48 hours prior to budget adoption [for FY 2018, May 2].

10. Budget Adoption will occur on May 4, 2017 with all City Council Budget Proposals, those approved and those not approved, made public upon adoption of the budget.
    

Council will be required to either increase tax/fee rates or make cuts to other programs to fund their priorities in order to maintain a balanced budget. Budget Adoption will occur on May 4, 2017 with all City Council Budget Proposals, those approved and those not approved, made public upon adoption of the budget

The City Council Budget Proposal form is attached to this memo. Please fill out the form electronically (preferred for ease in distributing) or by hand and submit the completed forms to OMB by Thursday, April 20, 2017.

Proposed Schedule

Below is the timeline recommended by staff for the FY 2018 budget approval process, based on the budget calendar recently adopted by City Council. The timeline includes the actions required by statute to be taken by certain dates for adopting the real estate and personal property tax ordinances.

Other considerations that shaped this schedule include:

• The budget public hearing is to be held Monday, March 13, 2017 at 4:00 pm.  This schedule allows Council to have public input from the hearing available to it before it establishes a maximum real estate tax rate to advertise on Tuesday, March 14, 2017.  
  
• City Council should decide the maximum possible real estate tax rate to advertise 30 days before a public hearing on that rate is held. Such a public hearing is scheduled for Saturday, April 22, 2017. Therefore, the Council must make this maximum real estate tax rate determination during the legislative meeting scheduled for Tuesday, March 14, 2017. The same schedule applies to the personal property tax rate.

FY 2018 BUDGET WORK SESSION AND HEARING SCHEDULE ACTION DATES

ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 – City Council Budget Proposal Form

Printable Version