Council members push to move finance and homeless-response subcommittees to full-council study sessions; staff plans Q1 budget retreat

A council member told the Jan. 14 study session that the council should eliminate three-person subcommittees for finance and homeless response and instead handle those topics in full-council study sessions so the public can see deliberations.

“I kinda like to eliminate those and have those be a full council discussion, in front of the public,” the speaker said, proposing study sessions—potentially monthly—rather than the smaller subcommittees.

Council members generally supported the idea. One council member responded, “No objections,” while others said the study-session format would be more transparent.

City Manager Mark Ziegler and Finance Director Giddens said the city plans a first-quarter retreat focused on service levels that will serve as the first step in formulating the 2026 budget. Ziegler said staff has been discussing debt service and investments and that the retreat will help the council define mandatory, core and discretionary service levels to guide budget choices. “That will better inform staff how we start developing the budget moving forward,” Ziegler said.

Ziegler said the retreat will likely occur in April and that further study sessions or an additional retreat might be scheduled depending on the council’s guidance. He framed the work as a way to evaluate service level changes, dedicated funding constraints and potential adjustments to service delivery rather than immediately proposing cuts.

No formal action was taken at the study session; the council discussed the proposal and asked staff to schedule appropriate study sessions and retreats as needed.