City of Jamestown, NY Finance

During the first quarter of each year, the City Council, with the input of the Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission and in conjunction with the City administration, shall engage in a strategic planning process. The City Council, on or before May 1 of each year, shall formally submit identified priorities to the Mayor for consideration during the preparation of the budget.

By the end of the calendar year, the Mayor shall report the progress having been made on the strategic plan.

Capital improvement program.

On or before June 1 of each year, the appointed officers and department heads of the City of Jamestown shall submit to the Mayor and City Council a five-year capital improvement program listing the proposed projects, their description, purpose, and justification, recommended priority, estimated cost and method of financing and such other information as the Mayor may deem appropriate. The term "capital project" shall be defined as set forth in §99-g of the General Municipal Law and §11.00 of the Local Finance Law.

Not later than July 1 of each year, the Mayor shall submit to the Strategic Planning and Partnerships Commission and the Planning Commission of the City of Jamestown for review and input a report outlining the requests and his/her opinion regarding their long-term benefits to the City of Jamestown. Not later than September 1 of each year, each of these Commissions shall submit a written report of its review to the Mayor and City Council.

Development of operating budget and capital improvement program.

On or before July 1 of each year, the Comptroller shall submit to the Mayor, City Council, appointed officers and department heads a general statement of the estimated revenues anticipated for the next fiscal year as well as a detailed statement of the outstanding bonded indebtedness and other lawful obligations of the City.

On or before July 1 of each year, the Comptroller shall furnish to the appointed officers and department heads of the City of Jamestown forms on which to prepare and set forth estimated revenues and expenditures of their respective department for the ensuing fiscal year, exclusive of items that are included in the capital improvement program.

Not later than August 1 of each year, the respective appointed officers and department heads shall submit to the Comptroller estimated revenues and expenditures of their respective departments for the ensuing fiscal year, exclusive of items that are included in the capital improvement program. In the event that an appointed officer or department head does not submit such data, the Comptroller shall prepare a budget for the ensuing fiscal year.

The Comptroller shall review and investigate the estimates. Upon completion of the review, the City Clerk/Treasurer and the Comptroller shall prepare a tentative budget and forward it to the Mayor for his/her review no later than September 1 of each year.

[Amended 2-10-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006; 8-28-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017; 11-25-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

(5)

The Uniform System of Accounts prescribed by § 36 of the General Municipal Law shall be followed in reviewing and preparing the tentative budget.

(6)

Not later than September 25 of each year, the Mayor shall submit the proposed operating budgets and capital improvement program to the respective appointed officers and department heads.

Budget submittal and message.

On or before October 8 of each year, the Mayor shall submit his/her executive operating budget and capital improvement program for the ensuing fiscal year to the City Council and file the same with the City Clerk/Treasurer providing a complete financial plan of all municipal funds and activities for the ensuing year. The budget submitted shall be balanced in that total estimated expenditures do not exceed total estimated revenues. The budget message shall identify in fiscal terms and in terms of programs, policies, activities and plans the proposed financial policies of the City of Jamestown for the ensuing year, describe the important features of the budget, indicate any major changes in financial policies, expenditures and revenues from the current year, together with the reasons for the changes, summarize the City's debt position and include other material the City Council may request or the Mayor may deem advisable.

[Amended 2-10-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006; 8-28-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017; 11-25-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

The City Council shall review with the Mayor the executive operation budget and capital improvement program and may change any items of the executive operation budget and capital improvement program. The changes shall be balanced in that total estimated expenditures do not exceed total estimated revenues. The Council shall not amend any items relating to the City debt, appropriations required to be made by law, or judgments against the City. The City Council shall file a report with the City Clerk/Treasurer outlining any amendments to the executive operation budget and capital improvement program on or before November 10 of each year. Said amendments shall immediately be delivered to the Mayor for review.

[Amended 6-20-2005 by L.L. No. 1-2005; 2-10-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006; 8-28-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017; 11-25-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

This submitted executive operation budget and capital improvement program, with or without amendments, shall become known as the City Council's budget.

Public inspection and public hearing on budget. On or before November 20, the City Council shall hold a public hearing on the City Council's budget and capital improvement program for the ensuing fiscal year including any proposed amendments. The City Council shall publish in the official newspaper a summary of the City Council's budget and a notice stating the times and places where copies of said budget are available for public inspection and a time and place for a public hearing on said budget. The notice must be published at least seven days prior to the public hearing.

[Amended 6-20-2005 by L.L. No. 1-2005]

Adoption of budget.

On or before December 1 of each year, the City Council shall vote upon the question of whether to pass the City Council's budget.

[Amended 6-20-2005 by L.L. No. 1-2005]

Upon adoption of the City Council's budget, the City Clerk/Treasurer shall forward same to the Mayor for examination and consideration. If the Mayor approves the City Council's budget, he/she shall affix his/her signature to a statement thereof and return the budget, together with such statement to the City Clerk/Treasurer within five days of its adoption, Saturdays and Sundays excepted.

[Amended 2-10-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006; 8-28-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017; 11-25-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

If a budget has not been adopted by the City Council as provided herein, then the executive operation budget and capital improvement program submitted in accordance with § C-39, Budget, Subsection D(1), shall become the budget for the ensuing fiscal year.

If the Mayor objects to the City Council's budget, or any portion thereof, he/she shall submit a veto statement within five days to the City Clerk/Treasurer, Saturdays and Sundays excepted. The City Clerk/Treasurer shall immediately forward a copy of said veto statement to the City Council.

[Amended 2-10-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006; 8-28-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017; 11-25-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

(5)

The City Council, after such veto, may reconsider any or all of the vetoed item(s) and may override said vetoed item(s) by a concurring vote of 2/3 of its membership. If the City Council fails to override said vetoed item(s) by December 15, the budget item(s) in question as presented in the executive operation budget and capital improvement program submitted in accordance with § C-39, Budget, Subsection D(1), shall be deemed adopted.

(6)

If the Mayor fails to approve the City Council’s budget by affixing his/her signature to a statement in accordance with § C-39, Budget, Subsection F(2), or to submit a veto statement in accordance with § C-39, Budget, Subsection F(4), then the City Council’s budget shall be deemed adopted.

[Added 6-20-2005 by L.L. No. 1-2005[1]]

[1]

Editor's Note: This local law also provided for the redesignation of former Subsection F(6) as F(7).

(7)

The adopted budget for the ensuing fiscal year shall be balanced in that total estimated expenditures do not exceed total estimated revenues.

Annual tax levy. The City Council, at the meeting at which the annual budget is adopted, shall levy on all taxable property within the City as shown in the annual assessment roll, the amount required to be raised by tax in the annual budget, and as otherwise required by law.

Budget amendments. When advised that monies available for such year will be insufficient to meet the amounts appropriated, the City Council may reduce any appropriation or appropriations by resolution so as to prevent the making of expenditures in excess of monies available. An appropriation shall not be reduced below the minimum amount required by law to be appropriated, nor shall an appropriation be reduced by more than the balance therein less outstanding and unpaid claims chargeable to such appropriation.

Emergency appropriations. To meet a public emergency affecting life, health, property or the public peace, the City Council may, during the year, make emergency appropriations. To the extent that there are not available any unencumbered or unappropriated revenues to meet such emergency appropriations, the City Council may authorize the issuance of budget notes in accordance with the Local Finance Law.

Budget monitoring. The Comptroller shall submit to the Mayor and the City Council, within 45 days of the close of the first, second and third fiscal quarters of the City's fiscal year, a report summarizing the actual revenues and expenditures for such quarter as compared to such estimates in the budget. Prior to submitting the report to the Mayor and the City Council, the Comptroller shall submit a draft report to the City Clerk/Treasurer for review and comment.

[Amended 2-10-2006 by L.L. No. 2-2006; 8-28-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2017; 11-25-2019 by L.L. No. 1-2020]

§ C-40 Miscellaneous provisions.

Lapse of appropriations. All appropriations shall lapse at the close of the fiscal year to the extent that they shall not have been expended or encumbered.

Purchases by competitive bid. All contracts for the performance of any work and all purchase contracts involving expenditures in excess of the amounts provided for in General Municipal Law § 103 shall be awarded by competitive bids unless, by a 3/4 vote of the entire City Council or Board of Public Utilities, it is decided to be impracticable to secure such articles, supplies, work or materials by such contract or bids, in which case the City Council or Board of Public Utilities shall instruct the head of the department involved to procure such work or purchase such materials, supplies or articles. The City Council shall also have the power to purchase supplies or construct improvements by direct municipal supervision without advertising for bids.

Purchases of supplies.

Unless otherwise directed by the City Council, the head of each department of the City government shall purchase at the lowest market price all materials, supplies, machinery and equipment used by his/her department, but no head of department shall, however, make any purchase exceeding the amount provided in Subsection B of this section for the competitive bid of purchase contracts without having previously obtained from the City Council consent to make such purchase; nor shall any head of department make any purchase, either below or in excess of said sum, without having first filed a requisition with the Comptroller, stating the article or articles desired to be purchased and the quantity of the same, together with the department or purpose for which the articles or materials purchased are to be used. Upon the presentation of the requisition signed by the head of a proper City department as herein provided, the Comptroller, if in his/her judgment the article or materials to be purchased are necessary and do not exceed in purchase price the limited amount prescribed in this section or the investment or purchase to be made is not in violation of this instrument or the resolutions relating thereto or adopted thereunder by the City Council, shall countersign the said requisition, make a duplicate thereof for filing in his/her office and return the countersigned original to the head of the particular City department desiring to make the aforesaid purchase. When so countersigned and returned, the original requisition shall be the only authority of the head of the department for making the purchase of the supplies or material therein described. The Comptroller shall file with the City Council, on the occasion of the first regular meeting in each month, a report showing the requisitions issued, the department for which they were issued, the articles or materials purchased, from whom and the several amounts paid therefor.

Each head of department shall, at the first regular meeting of the City Council in each month, make a written verified report of all his/her purchases for the preceding month. Such report shall show, in detail, the articles purchased, from whom and the price paid for each article.

The Board of Public Utilities shall make its respective purchases through its several officers.

Any supplies or material the purchase of which has not been heretofore provided for shall be made by the Comptroller upon requisition. The City Council may from time to time prescribe the quantity and quality of purchases and make such other regulations in reference thereto as may seem needful.

Audit and payment of claims.

Each claim and demand for services rendered or materials furnished to the City must be presented to the Comptroller within 30 days after the rendition of the last services or the last delivery of materials charged for therein. Except as provided in Subsection E(3) and (4) of this section, the Comptroller shall present all claims to the Finance Committee of the City Council, in writing, along with a certification that the claim is in proper form, is correctly computed, that it is legally due and payable, that an appropriation has been made therefor, and that such appropriation has a sufficient balance to meet the obligation.

Claims against the City shall be reviewed by the Finance Committee of the City Council at least once each month. It shall be the duty of said Committee to inquire into such claims and report thereon to the City Council, with its reasons for approval or disapproval of said claim, and the City Council shall then vote upon the claim. The City Council shall not pay any claim prohibited by law.

The Comptroller is authorized to make payments on claims or demands prior to review and audit by the Finance Committee and City Council of amounts up to $1,000 or in the event that a claim or demand offers a discount or incurs a late penalty if not paid by a date certain and the claim or demand is not received by the Comptroller in time for presentation to the Finance Committee prior to the expiration of the date certain. Any payment made pursuant to this subsection shall be reported to the Finance Committee at its next regularly scheduled meeting.