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July 12, 2010 Personnel and Finance Committee Meeting Minutes <br />Page 2 <br />Council Member White stated that the Bill will be sent to the Council without <br />recommendation. <br />Miscellaneous Business: <br />Council Member Henry Davis, Jr., inquired about how each of the city departments and <br />bureaus will be measured in light of the upcoming budget requests for 2011. He stated that <br />there should be measureable outcomes for each department. He noted that he has had <br />challenging response to questions which he has made to various departments, and he <br />believes that it boils down to communications. He suggested that when the Council is <br />requested to allocate dollars for a department and appropriate money for their operations, <br />that there should be measureable outcomes for all operations of the city. Currently there is <br />no recourse when a citizen calls and cited the many calls he has received about the lack of <br />lawns at vacant properties being cut in a timely and efficient manner. <br />Council Member White stated that the budget process is the time for the Council to make <br />inquiry as to whether departmental goals stated last year have been achieved. She noted <br />that the issue is one of measureable outcomes and that there must be a sense of <br />accountability of our tax dollars. <br />Council Member White suggested that all suggestions for improving the budget review <br />process be sent to Council Member Tom LaFountain, the Chairperson of the Personnel and <br />Finance Committee. <br />The Council Attorney added that the Annual Reports which are required by City Code are to <br />address whether the goals and objectives of each department are being achieved. Those <br />reports are required to be filed in the Spring of each year so that the Council has the <br />opportunity to review them before the budget process begins. If goals and objectives are not <br />being met, the Council then has the chance to adjust budgets to better address those <br />objectives. She noted however that the Council only has the authority to cut budget amounts <br />during the budget review, but may request the Mayor to adjust line-items upward. She <br />added that this year, many of the Annual Reports were significantly shorter and less detailed <br />that in the past. <br />Council Member White stated that these concerns would be forwarded to the Committee <br />Chair. <br />There being no further business to come before the Committee, Council Member White <br />adjourned the Committee meeting at 4:18 p.m. <br />Respectfully submitted, <br />~Cl.`'`."'~ <br />Council Member Karen L. White, Vice-Chairperson <br />Personnel and Finance Committee Attachments <br />