Budgets

Every fall the Common Council reviews and adopts budgets for the next year. Together the capital and operating budgets describe what services and projects will be provided and how those services will be paid for. The Operating Budget funds daily operations, including staff salaries, community-based organizations that deliver services on behalf of the City, and other costs such as supplies and equipment. The Capital Budget funds physical infrastructure like roads, trails, large equipment purchases, building improvements, and other projects.

Budget development is a multi-step process. Department heads begin preparing their capital budgets in March. The Finance Director compiles the requests into a 10 year capital improvement plan and presents the plan to Council for their input and approval in August.

Department heads work with the Finance Director, City Administrator, and the Mayor to prepare an operating budget to present to the Committee of the Whole (COW) for their consideration and input. Initial budget discussions included estimates and projections that are updated as the Department of Revenues releases information in September and October. Following a series of budget work sessions in October, the Common Council receives citizen input at a public hearing and approves the operating budget in November.

Annual Budget Development Timeline:

MARCH	Departments update the Ten-Year Capital Improvement Plan
MAY	Finance Department prepares the Ten-Year Capital Improvement Plan document.
JUNE	Presentation of the Ten-Year Capital Improvement Plan to the Committee of the Whole. Finance Department begins working on the revenue and expenditure forecast and five-year request for service changes.
JULY	Departments start entering cost-to-continue estimates. Finance Department updates personnel budgets.
AUGUST	Council approves the Capital Improvement Plan. The first year of the plan is incorporated into the budget.
SEPTEMBER	Finance Department completes the draft budget document. City Administrator and the Mayor review the budget document.
OCTOBER	Budget presentation to the Committee of the Whole. Alders adjust the budget during work sessions.
NOVEMBER	Public hearing regarding the budget document. City Council approves the budget.