Finance Committee weighs new budget workshops to capture shared goals before manager's recommended budget

Budget staff proposed a revised calendar on Nov. 4 that adds an April 1 goal‑setting workshop and two August budget workshops (Aug. 19 and Aug. 26) to establish collective goals before the city manager presents the recommended budget on Aug. 11 and to allow time for refinement before final adoption in September.

Jeanette Wheaton, director of Budget and Management Services, said the proposed April/May/June sessions would let council members agree on high‑level goals and priorities that the city manager could incorporate into the recommended budget. Two August workshops would allow committee‑level deep dives after the manager delivers the recommendation and before a refined recommendation returns Sept. 2. City Manager staff emphasized the approach is intended to reduce last‑minute amendments and make the budget process more collective.

Council members debated whether retreats and workshops produce collective outcomes or simply shift the amendment process earlier. Some members urged structured workshops with a goal‑oriented facilitator and clear deliverables; others suggested procedural changes (for example, requiring a minimum number of co‑sponsors for an amendment) to reduce ad‑hoc proposals on the final adoption date.

Staff said the proposed schedule would be brought back as a calendar amendment for consideration at the next council meeting.

What happens next: The committee provided input and staff plans to place the calendar revision as an amendment on the next council meeting agenda.