Like a farmer preparing his (or her) fields for the growing season, City of Muscatine staff have been busy preparing their fields of proposals for the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Budget Season. Last November department heads began meeting with their respective staff to work on and complete reports of accomplishments, expectations for the future, and budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year. While working to complete this extremely important task, city staff have been dutifully dedicated to their regular work routine and to the citizens of Muscatine.
It is Budget Season for the City of Muscatine and although the season only lasts a short period of time on the calendar, its impact will be felt a year from now and in the year's to come.
The City of Muscatine is required to adopt an annual budget by March 15 of each year. The process begins in November when the departments are presented with their budget materials and instructions on the process. The initial department proposals are reviewed by Nancy Luecks, city financial director, and Gregg Mandsager, city administrator, and then refined in meetings with the individual departments during December.
There are a myriad of issues and challenges associated with preparing a departmental budget just as there is in combining those budget proposals into one comprehensive city budget that meets the needs of the citizens of Muscatine. It is no small feat especially when you consider future money is never guaranteed, just anticipated.
While local government cannot control what happens with the state legislature in Des Moines, local government can look ahead towards what they can do to ensure the expectations of its citizens are met. Long range plans that are geared toward increasing the population of residents, homes, and businesses have their base in these budgets. City departments, then, have to forecast what they can do to reach the long term goals while meeting the needs of citizens today … and stay within the confines of the anticipated dollars they will receive in the coming fiscal year.
That part of the Budget Season has passed. And now …
Now, as January comes to a close, it is time for these department budget proposals to be presented to the Muscatine City Council, the governing body of the City of Muscatine who are the final decision makers as to what shape the budget for the next fiscal year will look like. The process begins Thursday (Jan. 25) at 5:30 p.m. when the City Council convenes to hear the General Fund Overview. Over the next two weeks, each department and agency will have their time before the City Council to plead their case, to answer questions, and, if needed, to modify their budgets.
All budget sessions are open to the public and a schedule of the meetings in available at this link … Budget Schedule. Each session has different departments presenting with citizens welcomed at all of the presentations. Public comment at this time is not part of the process but DO take notes because time for citizen input has been set aside during the Public Hearing that is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 1 (the actual date and time will be set by City Council at the conclusion of the department/agency presentations).
Throughout the budget process there are numerous opportunities to participate and engage with your City staff and Council members. Please stay tuned for periodic updates on the process, issues and challenges the City faces in putting together a budget for a full service city, and a budget that meets our community needs but is also responsible at the same time.
The City of Muscatine values constructive input and appreciates hearing your ideas. You can comment here on our blog, visit the Community Voice section of our web site, visit our social media sites at Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or you can email us to stay connected.
Kevin Jenison, Communication Manager