On Monday night, the City Council began the task of reviewing the Preliminary Budget with an eye toward passing the final 2015-2016 Budget in November.  This means it’s going to be a full and important six weeks ahead.  The Preliminary Budget gives the Council a lot of information about twenty-seven separate funds, what revenues are projected and how the City works.  But more than dollars and cents, the City budget is the Council’s most important policy making tool.  To put it simply, the City budget is plan – put in monetary terms – to fulfill Council policy and intent.  Because of this, adopting a City budget is not always business as usual.  Council must answer key questions such as  what do we do with facilities and assets, and how do we maintain them?  Are we changing more streetlights to LEDs?  What roads need work next and how do we pay for that work?  How do we fund efforts to reduce the risk of flooding? Are there ways to invest in building future efficiency?

Through the years, I’ve watched people’s eyes glaze over when we mention a “budget,” but it really is a discussion about what we want to do in the next two years and how that fits into the bigger picture.  Please take a look at the preliminary budget.  We also have hard copies available at City Hall.   Let us know if you have any feedback, ideas or thoughts.  We have done a lot in the past few years (replace the old bridge, build a YMCA, get the trails going…) and there’s more to do in 2015 and 2016.

Mayor Dave Enslow