Finance Committee Agenda and Packet 2014 04 21

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City Council Finance Committee Meeting Minutes 03/17/14 Page 3 of 4 Council Member Keany and Stolzmann asked if the date of each version of a departments request be imbedded into the version number noted on each request form. The Finance Director stated the date request would be incorporated into the summary sheet for the 2015 budget process. Committee members stated that they want additional information as to whether the request is essential, an enhancement, or a new project /service. Council Member Keany stated that he would like to see the total expenses reported by department with the corresponding department revenues indicated by source. This would be preferred to total City expenditures as compared to total City revenues, or revenues and expenditures by fund. Council Member Stolzmann stated she would like each department to numerically rank each request in order of priority, and to add the question "What is the payback ?" for each project or improvement to the Project or Equipment Justification section of the form. Finally, Council Member Stolzmann wishes staff to emphasize, in the narrative section for each request, any and all methods or alternatives available for Council consideration. City Manager Fleming stated part of the Capital Improvement Program process includes an initial review by the City Manager and the Finance Director, followed by a review by the City Manager with each requesting department, and finally a review by City Council. City Manager Fleming stated that requests are fine -tuned and modified during each step of the process to align with Council goals, and that the final requests are submitted to full Council for their subsequent review, approval and /or modification. Council Member Stolzmann stated that she would like to see cuts made in the funds that are least restrictive instead of cutting programs or projects just to get to balance the bottom line. Member Stolzmann also suggested that staff consider priority -based budgeting and provided Finance Director Watson a CML publication which contained an excerpt from the October 2013 edition of the International City /County Management Association's Public Management PM Magazine which was written by the Center for Priority Based Budgeting. Director Watson stated he would provide copies of the article electronically to the Finance Committee. SALES TAX REPORTS FOR THE MONTH ENDED JANUARY 31, 2014 The Tax Manager presented the monthly sales tax reports for the period ended January 31, 2014. The Tax Manager presented a draft of revised sales tax reports requested at the January 21, 2014 Finance Committee meeting and requested feedback from 4