[Amended 6-7-2016 by L.L.
No. 1-2016; 11-17-2020 by L.L. No. 3-2020]
A. Instructions to departments. By the second Common Council meeting
in July, the Director of Finance shall consult with the City Administrator,
Mayor, and Common Council to establish budget guidelines for the next
fiscal year. The Director of Finance shall forward these guidelines
and budget forms to the head of each City department, and to all other
City agencies with direct budget allocation.
B. Budget meetings. The City Administrator and/or the Director of Finance
shall schedule budget meetings with each City department head on or
before August 31 to review the department's requests for the ensuing
year. Department heads may designate an employee to serve as budget
manager and attend the workshop in their stead.
C. Submission of budget requests.
(1) On or before August 31:
(a)
Department heads shall submit draft department budgets and explanatory
narrative to the Director of Finance.
(b)
City commissions, boards or other agencies requiring direct
budget allocations shall submit their budget requests to the Director
of Finance.
(2) On or before October 15, the Director of Finance shall submit a draft
budget to the City Administrator, Mayor and Common Council that includes:
(a)
A detailed statement of estimated revenues and items of expense
of the City for the next fiscal year.
(b)
An itemized statement of the principal and interest of all bonded
and other indebtedness of the City that will fall due during the next
fiscal year.
(c)
An updated five-year capital budget plan.
(3) Additional
meetings, as requested by the Common Council, to review changes to
the draft budget and five-year capital plan will be scheduled prior
to the second meeting in November.
[Amended 6-7-2016 by L.L.
No. 1-2016]
The budget shall include a five-year capital plan. The first
year of the capital plan shall be included in the budget for the ensuing
year. The five-year plan shall include:
A. A clear general summary of its contents.
B. A list of all capital projects to be undertaken during the ensuing
five fiscal years, including those under way.
C. Cost estimates, sources of funding and, where appropriate, recommended
time schedules for each project.
[Amended 6-7-2016 by L.L.
No. 1-2016; 11-17-2020 by L.L. No. 3-2020]
A. Revision of estimates. The Common Council shall review the tentative
budget for the ensuing year at its first meeting in November, or at
a special meeting. At their second meeting in November, the Common
Council may, by a simple majority vote of its members, revise any
budget lines, except those of the Library Board. By simple majority
vote, it shall approve the tentative budget, as amended, for the City
for the ensuing fiscal year. Copies of the tentative budget shall
be made available for inspection by any person.
B. Finalization of budget. The Common Council shall hold a public hearing
on the proposed budget at least one week before its first regular
meeting in December. The Common Council shall vote on the adoption
of the budget at its first regular meeting following the public hearing.
Adoption of the budget requires an affirmative vote of a majority
of the Common Council. Immediately after the adoption of the budget,
the Common Council shall levy all regular and special taxes required
to defray the approved expense plan.
C. Failure to adopt budget. In the event that the Common Council fails
to adopt a budget by December 10, the budget for the current year
shall become the budget for the ensuing fiscal year, modified to add
any increased expenditures resulting from previously approved contracts
or other obligations of the City, and to eliminate any expenditures
funded by reserves.
[Amended 11-17-2020 by L.L. No. 3-2020]
The Common Council may approve transfers within departments
and between departments or other budget units. The City Administrator
may approve transfers up to limits established by the Common Council
and may delegate authority to approve transfers to the Director of
Finance.