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Staff presents 2025 levy and budget timeline; council asks for earlier enterprise-fund review
Summary
City staff outlined a proposed 2025 budget timetable focused on earlier distribution of packets and fewer special meetings; council members urged reviewing CIP items and enterprise funds (notably the golf course) earlier in the process and requested benchmarks for year-to-year comparisons.
City staff presented a proposed timetable for the 2025 levy and budget process and asked the council to review the schedule and raise conflicts. Staff proposed delivering budget packets about one month in advance and two weeks before the council's first budget meeting, holding budget-review sessions on first-meeting dates following regular council meetings, and scheduling optional workshops if needed.
Council members emphasized starting with capital-improvement-project (CIP) review and setting budget goals before detailed budget discussions. One member urged bringing the golf-course enterprise fund presentation forward to October or the first November meeting, saying the golf operation is a seasonal enterprise with a history of requiring city support. Council members also asked for benchmarking data comparing the city's payroll and budget metrics to peer cities and requested a long-term financial plan to guide annual budgets.
Staff said they aim to produce a first iteration of a long-term financial plan during this budget cycle and to provide draft packets two weeks before meetings so council members have time to digest materials. No formal motion or vote was taken on the timeline at this meeting; staff will bring the timetable back and adjust dates to avoid conflicts (for example, Labor Day week).
