THE FY27 BUDGET
Mayor & Council along with the City Manager are having a hell of a time trying to come up with a BUDGET that can justify any Utility increases, Property Tax increases, critical Staff layoffs, and possible Raises for Mayor & Council. Here are some of the FACTS why this BUDGET cycle is a hot mess.
- Insufficient needed and necessary STAFF positions in the FINANCE DEPARTMENT are unfilled. The Finance Department has a four-day work- week Interim Finance Director. Only one person on a short week schedule to do the work of a Budget Analyst, Internal Auditor and an External Auditor. The Internal Auditor is hired by the City Manager. The External Auditor is hired by Mayor & Council. The Finance Director is also the Department Head of Customer Care.
- The Interim Finance Director could not be expected to oversee the two largest financial Departments in the City, the understaffed Finance Depart and Customer Care.
- The City Manager has failed to provide any existing data on file from the various City Department Head to Mayor & Council. The City Manager has failed to provide Mayor & Council with Monthly Financial Statement as required in the City Charter.
- The Budget-Finance Committee has failed to provide a Monthly Committee Report detailing any problems or recommendations to Mayor & Council at Monthly Council Meetings.
- Unnecessary and unneeded Staff Positions, and Agency added the City Manages without a VOTE of Mayor & Council. Mayor & Council did not CREATE the “D.E.I.” Agency. Nor did Mayor & Council approve Positions or Salaries for the STAFF. Not all if any of those Positions were posted. Without a VOTE of Mayor & Council, the current City Manager Created Positions and Salaries for an Assistant City Manager, a Management Analyst without posting for either Position.
- Mayor & Council gerrymandered allocation funding in the FY26 Budget to allow the City Manager to “approve” a million dollars for Mayor & Councilmember Events that violated the City Charter and the State Gratuity Clause.
- The City Manager failed to follow a “directive of Mayor & Council” by implementing a SERVICE FEE for Water Leak Protection Insurance. The City Manager failed to implement the motion as stated by former Councilmember J. Bulter. Also, no contract was ever presented to Mayor & Council stating the name of the Insurance Company or details concerning monthly cost to the City or how the Service Fee to residents and businesses was determined. A “SCAM” and “FRAUD” perpetrated on unsupecting residents and businesses.
- Mayor & Council continue to pay $20,000 per month for a “CITY ATTORNEY” that according to our ETHICS ORDINANCE cannot legally work for the City as an employee.
THE SOLUTION
Mayor & Council need to hire a Budget Analyst Consultant to work solely for them. The Budget Analyst Consultant will help them to navigate a document that has as much money being wasted/stolen than a vegetable strainer. Since they are as much as the problem as the City Manager, they need someone to tell them without any backlash what they can legally do and how to address the problems facing them beginning with the following.
- Plan a Work Session with an outside Attorney to REVIEW the City Charter immediately. This should be done through the Mayor’s Office with at least three recommendations from Councilmembers.
- Mayor & Council need to have a RETREAT to determine what they would like to see accomplished in this and future Budgets during the next four years. A Consultant should be hired to conduct the Retreat through the Mayor’s Office with at least three recommendations from Councilmembers immediately.
- Mayor & Council should separate the Finance Department and Customer Care immediately.
- Mayor & Council should immediately instruct the City Manager to PROVIDE BI- Weekly Departmental Reports on a form to be determined in addition to his required Monthly Financial Report.
- Once steps have been taken to reduce the PAYROLL with unneeded positions not VOTED on by Mayor & Council, Mayor & Council can turn their attention to approving the FY27 Budget by September with the help of a Budget Analyst Consultant.
- Remove the $20,000 per month “City Attorney” from the PAYROLL immediately.
- Remove all Salaried Positions, and Agency not VOTED on by Mayor & Council from the PAYROLL immediately.
- Hire a Budget Analyst, Internal Auditor and an External Auditor as soon as possible without delay.
- ABSOLUTELU NO RAISES FOR ANYONE INCLUDING MAYOR & COUNCIL!
- The Water Leak Protection Insurance has merit if properly approved with two public hearings and additional guidelines.
- Get rid of all “EVENTS” for Mayor & Council.
- Review the City’s Procurement Ordinance with current Mayor & Council.
- Review all line items in the proposed FY27 Budget for Mayor & Council; City Council Department; and Non-Departmental.
RESIDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY
Residents elected our Mayor & Council. The Mayor & Council is answerable to the RESIDENTS. Mayor & Council cannot shift their duties and responsibilities to the Residents onto the City Manager. The City Manager is hired and supervised by Mayor & Council not the Residents. It is not the job of the City Manager to act as a go between with the Residents and Mayor & Council. Any questions that Residents may have concerning the FY27 BUDGET should be directed to Mayor & Council. It is then incumbent upon Mayor and Council to have the City Manager to provide the requested information with the help of his STAFF. RESIDENTS have the responsibility of reading or hearing information provided by the Mayor & Councilmembers via, consumable flyers and newsletters; and robo-calls. An Ordinance was passed providing funding of $2,500 for Mayor & Councilmembers to communicate with their constituents. Mayor & Council need to increase this amount in their individual Budgets to $10,000 for the Mayor and at-Large Councilmembers; and $5,000 for Local Ward Councilmembers. Any money spent for any other means of communication or use would have to be reimbursed by the offending elected official out of his/her personal funds not associated with the City. RESIDENTS, you can propose ideas/Ordinances that you believe would be helpful just as long as you can get a Councilmember to Sponsor it.
LET’S HAVE A DISCUSSION!
