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67 <br /> <br />Council meeting, and Ms. Daugherty asked that Council be provided with a list of <br />ideas/incentives staff have developed. <br /> <br />The budget document was discussed and support was expressed for significantly <br />reducing the size of the document, eliminating service levels, and producing a document that <br />' would be an expansion of the current "Budget in Brief," which would make department <br /> functions clear. <br /> <br /> Ms. Peacock asked for feedback from Council regarding what sort of information they <br />need to make budget decisions, and Ms. Slaughter stated that she thought this would be a <br />~ ood issue for focus group discussions, perhaps with the League of Women Voters. It was <br /> greed that the City would no longer pursue the Government Finance Officers Association's <br /> ~FOA) budget award because of the extra work it created. Ms. Peacock will talk <br /> ~dividually with Councilors and then staffwi~ develop a proposed prototype for a new <br /> ocument. <br /> <br /> Ms. Peacock stated that she did not see any value in moving to a biennial budget at this <br />t :me. <br /> <br /> It was agreed that efforts should be continued to have aduk sports pay for themselves as <br />r ~uch as possible, and that Council should continue to ask whether any programs have <br />cutlived their usefulness, both outside agencies and within City government, or to find <br />cooperative efforts. <br /> <br /> Possible sunsetting of program funding was discussed and it was noted that funding for <br />certain programs have included a sunset clause. <br /> <br /> It was noted that administrative requirements for alt HUD grants are the same <br />:gardless of the size of the program (which involves considerable stafftime), and it was <br />greed that the Mayor would communicate with the CDBG Task Force and Social <br />I)evelopment Commission to recommend that they limit the number of programs <br />r :commended for funding. Mr. Hendrix stated that he thought CDBG funding would be <br /> ~ore effective if not spread too thinly among several projects. <br /> <br /> With regard to the issue of creating new positions within City government, it was <br />greed that Council's general policy would be that there should be no new positions unless a <br />:al need is identified and unless such positions can be added within the department's existing <br />udget and that a quarterly report would be sent to Council. <br /> <br /> It was agreed that an attempt would be made to reduce the size of the Comprehensive <br />~ 'lan document and Council would convey that goal to the Planning Commission at its next <br />r ~eeting. <br /> <br /> Regarding the Citizen's Advisory Commission for Efficient Government, Mr. Hendrix <br />rated that the Committee had recommended that the City explore reducing the number of <br />tyers in the Fire Department, noting that the industry standard is to have between three and <br />>ur layers. Mr. Hendrix stated that this is a promotional issue in the Fire Department, but <br />ne that should be addressed when the career service ladder is implemented, which should be <br />one by January 1 st. <br /> <br /> Mr~ Toscano asked staff to check out what other localities are doing with regard to <br />l~tyers in police and fire departments. <br /> <br />Funding for the schools in FY 95-96 was discussed. <br /> <br /> Ms. Slaughter recomanended that expansion of Murray School to include non-violent <br />',ity youth be explored by the schools. <br /> <br /> Councilors agreed upon the following: continue funding for CSOs in the schools out of <br />ae general fund; expend tip to $425,000 for alternative school, subject to number of students <br /> <br /> <br />