Council discusses budget timeline, 15-day posting and Sept. 1 tax-rate meeting

Council members and the meeting moderator described the clerical steps and county deadlines that determine when the proposed budget and a proposed tax rate may be considered.

"Once that 15 days has run, we as a council can move to, put it at a, a public hearing," a council member explained while walking through the requirements for posting updated budget materials and placing the item on a hearing agenda. (Council member, S2)

Moderator and council members said county staff (including a named contact identified in the workshop as Bob McKnight) were assisting with the process. The group described an Aug. 26 three-day notice tied to tax-credit calculations and said the governing body was scheduled to take a record vote on a proposed tax rate on Sept. 1, with staff required to post whatever the council finishes before the county deadline.

Speakers emphasized that work on the budget can continue during the 15-day window but that all additions must be posted to the city website and made available for public inspection before a hearing. That public-notice clock begins only after the budget officer files and stamps the proposed document, staff said. The council did not complete the filing during the workshop and indicated the filing could happen at the earliest practicable date consistent with county requirements.