2. 2004 Budget Process`"'$' City of Kalispell
4Post Office Box 1997 - Kalispell, Montana 59903-1997 - Telephone (406)758-7000 Fax - (406)758-7758
REPORT TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:
MEETING DATE:
Honorable Mayor and City Council
Chris A. Kukulski, City Manager
2004 Budget Process
January 6, 2003
BACK GROUND: I will be proposing a different budget process for this year. In essence,
we want to turn the process around by getting the Council much more heavily involved at the
front end and eliminate several of the meetings traditionally scheduled for the tail end of the
process. At our first budget workshop, I will be presenting overall budget Directives, Goals and
Objectives to the Council. These will be consistent with the City's vision and mission
statements. The second half of our workshop will be to reconfirm specific projects goals, and
prioritize projects.
Once the Council prioritizes the projects and budget directives, goals and objectives
agreed upon, then the department directors and I will have clear direction to move into Step 2.
Step 2 will be for department directors to present their department's mission and budget goals
and objectives to the Council. These must be consistent with and compliment the city's vision
and mission and will include projects that we identified from the first meeting as high priorities.
By concentrating the Council's time and energies on Step I and 2, Step 3 and 4 will be much
easier and shorter.
Step 3 is for the administration to develop a budget that is representative of clear
direction given during the first several workshops. This should eliminate any surprises in May
when the budget is in print. This also allows the Council to play a much more meaningful part of
the process by setting directives, goals and objectives prior to final budget development. An
aside bonus is that you spend time indoors at budget workshops in January and February instead
of every Thursday night in April and May.
Step 4 is late in the process where I and the department directors and staff present their
budgets to the Council. The difference is that these presentations will be much shorter than the
past and will focus on how the budget represents the directives, goals and objectives that the
Council gave during the January/February budget workshops. At this point, the Council holds
me accountable for the development of a budget that is set out to follow the Council's directions
and throughout the year, we (myself and directors) are held accountable for implementing a
budget that is molded around the organization's vision and their department's mission. Attached
is a draft calendar for the upcoming 2004 budget process.
RECOMMENDATION: The City council consider this new approach to the budgeting process
and provide any feedback necessary to improve the budget process and tentative calendar.
FISCAL EFFECTS: None at this time.
ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the Council.
Respectfully
/submitted,
On
Chris A. Kukulski
City Manager
Report compiled January 2,2003
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Review Budget
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Holiday
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City Manager presents
goals & objectives to
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Public Safety Goals
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Com. Dev., Parks & Rec.,
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Operations Present Goals &
Objectives to Council
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Holiday
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Develop Budgets meeting
Goals & Objectives Approved by Council —o
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Develop Budgets meeting
Goals & Objectives Approved by Council
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Final Budget Due
in Fuumce lice
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Budget Message Due
to Finance
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Budget to Printer
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Final Budget
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Community Development
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Budget
Final Budget
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Holiday
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Revenue
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Adopt Final Budget,
set mill
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