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Budget committee names Linda Moreland chair, holds orientation on process and calendar
Summary
Astoria City’s budget committee held a March 3 training, elected Linda Moreland as chair by acclamation and reviewed the budget calendar, public‑meeting constraints and upcoming grant review sessions.
The Astoria City budget committee opened its March 3 training meeting by selecting Linda Moreland as chair. Committee members nominated Moreland and she accepted; staff said she will preside over the coming budget meetings.
The session focused on the committee’s role under Oregon law and the city’s budget timeline. A presenter from city staff told the group that budget decisions and detailed discussions about appropriations must occur only at publicly noticed meetings to preserve transparency. The presenter said, “Working requires that all decisions about budgeting be made in public and publicly noticed meetings,” and urged members to avoid discussing specific appropriation amounts outside the public forum.
Staff walked members through the procedural steps the committee will follow: elect a presiding officer, set a meeting calendar and rules, receive the budget message, hold public hearings on the proposed budget and state shared revenue, deliberate and submit a recommended budget and tax levy to city council. The presenter said the council will hold a second set of hearings and must adopt the budget and appropriations by June 30.
The committee was given an initial meeting schedule: a tourism organization work session on March 5 at 5:30 p.m.; a community organization grant subcommittee on March 10; an arts and culture grant subcommittee on March 12; and the first full budget committee meeting with public hearings on March 21. Staff told members additional meeting slots (March 22–24 and later dates) were being held in case the committee needs extra time.
Staff emphasized that the city’s fiscal year runs July 1–June 30 and explained that revenues such as property tax are received months after the fiscal year starts; for that reason, staff recommended maintaining contingency balances. The presenter summarized: “The budget is a financial plan for our fiscal year … it is based on good-faith estimates of resources, revenue, expenditures and requirements.”
The meeting packet for the next session was posted on the city website under agendas and minutes; staff said materials for the March 5 tourism presentations will also be available to members in advance.
