CC Minutes - 10/17/07 Work Session

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Ms. Bettman pointed out that the suggested motion indicated the budget document would not contain the same information as previous documents. She said she was not opposed to considering new ways to budget, but objected to the precipitous way it was presented to the council. She required more feedback, including from other jurisdictions, before moving forward. She stated that the council created the goals and the public had no input. She preferred to delay implementation of a major change to the service provision and budgeting process. Ms. Taylor said she did not understand why $100,000 was being spent if the process was the same. Ms. Murdoch replied that a different internal process would be used and the consultant would help design that process. Ms. Taylor said she had heard from some people that it would be ridiculous to start a new process before a new city manager was hired and she did not want to proceed. Ms. Ortiz, seconded by Mr. Pryor, moved to approve using the Limited Budgeting for Outcomes Process to develop the FY09 Proposed Budget by 1) endorsing the use of the five vision statements as the foundation for aligning services and allocat- ing resources; 2) acknowledging that the City Council and Budget Committee will function as the citizen input in the first phase of this effort by reviewing goal maps designed to identify the significant factors that contribute to achieving the desired outcomes of the vision statements; 3) participating in a review of the process at the completion of the FY09 budget cycle, and if warranted, committing to a full budg- eting for outcomes approach using additional public input to build the FY10 budget; 4) acknowledging that the budget document will reflect this new approach and will not contain the same information as presented in previous documents. Ms. Bettman, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved to postpone consideration of this matter until the council had hired a new city manager and proceed with FY09 budget process using the traditional process previously employed. Mr. Clark said he had been concerned during the last budget cycle about a council majority taking actions, such as holding library services harmless, in advance of the budgeting process, which created a dilemma by over-emphasizing the priority of particular items at the expense of other budget priorities. He said it was a systemic change in how budgeting was done that created the conflict and he was concerned that using that same process again would, in the absence of any prioritization work, create false priorities. He welcomed any effort to establish priorities in advance of the budgeting process. Ms. Ortiz said she could not support delaying action until a new city manager was hired, but would favor allowing more time for outreach to the unions and the public. She also wanted Ms. Solomon to have the opportunity to comment and vote on the matter. Ms. Taylor stated she would support the motion to postpone. She agreed that priorities should be examined and that could be accomplished in work sessions without changing the entire process. Mr. Clark agreed that the issue was being presented to the council with little lead time and while he was in favor of taking a different look at the budgeting process, he wanted Ms. Solomon at the table and therefore would support a motion to table, but not to delay action until a new city manager was hired. MINUTES—Eugene City Council October 17, 2007 Page 4 Work Session