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Saginaw council urges clearer committee input after tree‑funding complaint
Summary
Councilors directed staff and liaisons to include advisory boards earlier in the budget process and to document committee votes after a beautification committee member said volunteers were bypassed when $5,000 for a tree program was again included in the budget.
A months‑long complaint about committee involvement in spending prompted the Saginaw City Council on Nov. 24 to require clearer liaison communication and earlier committee review of proposed budget items.
Council Member Nick Lawson and others raised concerns that beautification and parks volunteers were not consistently consulted before expenditures were allotted. City staff explained that $5,000 for the tree program was included in the parks donation budget for a second consecutive year and that the parks liaison had recorded the item during budget discussions. "When we get something on the agenda brought to us ... they have the right to give their blessings," Lawson said during the exchange.
Beautification committee member Kelly Stewart told the council the committee had been bypassed on expenditures multiple times and urged better communication and respect for volunteers. City staff and the city manager recommended an operational change: have liaisons present proposed budgets to advisory boards in May–June so committees can vote before the council finalizes budgets.
Council members agreed to strengthen the budget timeline and to include committee vote records on items that draw from committee funds so volunteers can see when money is proposed and how it was approved. Staff noted some budgeted, routine expenditures under thresholds (for example under $10,000) will not require separate council action but should still be shown to committees during the recommended earlier review.
The council did not take a formal vote on a policy change at the meeting but confirmed direction to staff to revise processes and to ensure better documentation of committee recommendations and votes prior to final budget approval.
