Subcommittee weighs consultant RFP timing and larger consultant budget for Lebanon master plan

The Land Use Chapter Subcommittee met Sept. 29 and focused much of its discussion on how to fund and time a new master‑plan consultant contract. Staff member (S1), who also identified as an EPC administrator for Asbury, Iowa and said earlier that they work for DHHS, told the group that "we have basically $35,000 that are that are sitting in the consultant line right now that are on a..." and that finance has asked the team to consider sequencing the work across two budget years so contracts cannot be signed until Jan. 1.

The committee discussed different funding approaches and the timing tradeoffs that the finance office imposed. Clerk (S3) told the group that the subcommittee previously asked for a larger consultant line in next year’s budget, reporting that "we did ask for the consultant line item for next year's budget to up to a 100,000, from 40." Members said they want the master plan effort prioritized and suggested routing a resolution to the full city council and the city manager's office asking for an appropriation and to flag the request in the budget process.

Staff said the RFP will reveal the final cost estimate in November and that having funds identified in the budget will make it easier to balance this work against other priorities. The subcommittee agreed to finalize RFP language and the budget ask, while noting that state procurement rules and the city’s finance calendar limit contract execution until the start of the next fiscal year.