07/27/1988 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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e 3. Council discusses, reacts, and decides on budget policies; 4. End result: A list of policy statements for each key service area. Ms. Thorne said she envisions 10 to 15 separate policy ideas under each key service area. Ms. Wooten said the crucial questions facing the council are how to decide these policies and what the policies mean. Mr. Rutan affirmed that the City Manager will use the policy statements to prepare the next budget. Mr. Gleason said that is correct, although he said the broader issue the council is working on cannot be solved in the next budget period. Mr. Holmer pointed out there are no references to revenues in the proposal. Mr. Gleason said he assumes the council will consider policies that speak to both revenues and program design. Ms. Ehrman said she envisions a separate work session on each key area. Mr. Gleason said he would try to draft a budget that reflects the council.s concerns around each topic as well as staff1s judgment. The part he does not understand is how to fit the policy-making within the established budget sequence. e Mr. Miller said he likes how the proposal addresses the issues. However, he said any of the policy issues could take a significant amount of time. Ms. Wooten noted that a great deal of work has already gone into developing policies such as the Economic Development Plan. She said any future policies should include a review of what has already been done in that area. She said all too often council policies do not reflect what has already taken place. Mr. Bennett asked rhetorically if there is a value in reviewing the policies on a comprehensive basis. He said he likes the proposal and the fact that in the meantime the council can ask the City Manager to review the existing budget dollars. Mr. Rutan said he supports the proposal and would like to pursue it. What the process doesn't do, he said, is convert itself into an actual budget. He predicted there will still be issues in specific areas that will generate debate among the council. Mr. Rutan said the policy also doesn't clearly state to what degree the City Manager will do the budget work. He added the key service area list should include a section on new or enhanced revenues. Mr. Bennett said he would like to address the revenue question separately, although at the same time. He said he is not sure the City Manager would have enough information to develop revenue policy frameworks. He also hopes the policy frameworks encompass policy work that has already been completed. e MINUTES--City Council July 27, 1988 Page 5