Agenda Packets - 2006/01/09 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council December 5, 2005 Truth in Taxation Meeting Page 5 Mr. Glidden asked who owns the budget. 1 2 Finance Director Beer explained that the City Administrator submits a budget early in the process 3 and through collaboration with Department Heads, citizen comments, and planning sessions, 4 priorities are set by the Council. Then, at each Council meeting it is brought up for discussion 5 where they look at expenditure lines, individual detail, determine whether it is a good 6 expenditure for the City of Mounds View, and should remain or removed and considered in 7 future years. 8 9 Mr. Glidden asked if the City Administrator pulls together the initial budget, builds the budget, 10 and then through a process an agreement is reached and the Council approves the budget. He 11 asked if the City Administrator pulls together the original budget numbers. 12 13 Mayor Marty stated the Department Heads submit their individual budgets to the City 14 Administrator who puts those numbers together. Then it is presented to the City Council for 15 review. 16 17 City Administrator Ulrich stated the process does start early in the year, such as the citizen input 18 received at the Town Meeting, the citizen survey, and budgets from Department Head which are 19 presented to him. Then he puts together the budget for the Council to review by June of each 20 year. Special work session and public meetings are held for the Council and public to review the 21 budget and then the preliminary levy is set in the first part of September. Once the preliminary 22 levy is set, the Council examines more closely the expenditures and arrives at a final levy after 23 the Truth in Taxation hearing is held. 24 25 Councilmember Thomas stated Mr. Glidden’s question is difficult to answer but she hopes the 26 budget belongs to every citizen of the City either by saying no to something or making a 27 suggestion about something. She stated it is difficult to say who the budget is in ownership to 28 since all have the ability to make suggestions. 29 30 Mayor Marty stated he has received calls at home from people who did not want to attend a 31 Council meeting but offered their suggestions. Those suggestions were then brought forward. 32 33 Mr. Glidden asked what determines what is the starting point for next year’s budget. 34 Councilmember Thomas stated it starts at the Department level and is not a zero base because 35 there are fixed expenses for each year but it also does not go off the previous year’s number with 36 an increase. 37 38 Mr. Glidden stated his understanding that the City does not begin with the previous year’s budget 39 as a basis for the next year’s budget. The City starts at the Department level on projected 40 expenses for the coming year. 41 42 Mayor Marty stated when they start to compare each of the spreadsheets it also includes the 43 previous year numbers and the Council compares each Department with what they had last year. 44 45