The council discussed a request from the Finance Commission to examine financial materials and possibly perform a deeper review of the pathways program after the commission received a critical letter. Bruce Bester, finance commission chair, said the commission disagreed with some statements in the letter and offered to review the pathways program, noting that the program represents a small fraction of the budget.

Council members pushed back on focusing staff and commission time on a narrow review of the pathways program, recommending a broader review of the capital improvement program (CIP), including how the city accounts for inflation, maintenance and long-term funding. Council members emphasized the value of prioritization and asked for clarity on questions the commission would answer and what decisions the council might make based on the analysis.

Council members also reiterated that commissions are empowered to bring forward commissioner-initiated items but requested that significant work plans be coordinated with council direction. The finance commission said it would incorporate council feedback into its work plan and noted willingness to take a lower-priority look at pathways if the council preferred.