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Common Council approves multiple 2016 department budgets, after questions on library income and IT allocations
Summary
At its Dec. 15 meeting, the City of Superior Common Council approved the 2016 budgets for the library, information services, liability insurance and the economic development fund, and adopted a 2015 general-fund adjustment after staff answered questions about income classification and IT support allocations.
The City of Superior Common Council on Dec. 15 approved several department budgets for 2016, including the library, information services, liability insurance and the economic development fund, and approved a 2015 general-fund adjustment. Councilors voted unanimously on the items after staff answered questions from council members.
Councilor Sweeney pressed staff about fluctuations in the library’s reported “donations” and “other income,” asking whether a payment that had been entered as a donation in one year was handled differently this year. Assistant Finance Director Bronson said the change was an accounting reclassification: “It’s reclassification of something that isn't truly a donation. It's a payment we get from the library system. And last year, it was put in donations. ... But this year, we've reclassified it to other miscellaneous income.”
Councilors also asked about a line labeled “professional services — data processing” in the library budget. Staff said that amount reflects an allocation for support from the Information Services Department. Information‑services staff noted that the number is an allocation from that department for the support it provides, referencing Dan Shay’s department.
On the liability-insurance budget, Councilor Sweeney asked whether employment-practices coverage would pay legal fees; staff replied that legal fees would be paid up to the city’s deductible and would not be covered by that particular policy payout. Councilors also approved the 2016 economic development fund budget and a 2015 budget adjustment to the general fund.
All motions to approve the listed budgets carried without recorded opposition. Councilors noted the council will not meet in the first week of January and reconvene in the third week of January.
The approvals set department spending levels for 2016; councilors asked staff for clarified line items and reclassifications to be reflected in future materials.
