Director Cochran outlines 2025–26 budget process, SharePoint resources and timeline for fiscal policy review

City finance staff provided a monthly update on the 2025–26 budget process and the materials available to council members.

Director Cochran introduced interim financial planning manager Haley Zurcher, who demonstrated a SharePoint folder structure that will house forecast information, preliminary budget summaries, the full preliminary budget book and an Excel line‑item budget with filters. Zurcher said about 180 questionnaire responses had been collected so far, with roughly 82% showing strong alignment with the city’s stated budget priorities. Staff will continue collecting responses through October.

Cochran proposed a process for keeping council informed: a saved version of updates each weekday near noon, and an updated package at 4 p.m. on meeting days. He suggested a FAC (Finance, Administration & Communications) walkthrough of fiscal policy and long‑range financial strategy in November and recommended that the long‑range strategy be treated as a 2025 work plan item to allow a more robust refresh.

Councilmember Stewart and others welcomed earlier review of the fiscal policy redlines and the long‑range financial strategy; members discussed whether a first‑quarter reconciliation should be possible if policy changes affect funding or require expenditure controls. Cochran said budget adjustments could follow when revenue or staffing triggers are met and that staff would present any budget adjustments as needed.

Cochran also previewed the first evening of council budget deliberations (revenue forecast, technology and capital investment updates and the first service enhancement package) and noted work on business license ordinance recommendations to be brought back in November. The utility credit‑card fee recoupment process will roll out for utilities in October with remaining work expected to finish by December.