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The Budget Process
The budget development schedule is approved by City Council by the end of June each year.
Typically, the budget development process begins in July when Finance submits budget work sheets, including salary and fringe benefits cost, to each department. The City Manager meets with the Department Heads and outlines general budget policies and goals at this time. Department Heads review the budget sheets gives input and returns the sheets to Finance for compilation.
In August, during the Committee of the Whole, Council discusses budget priorities for the coming year and takes public input on the priorities during their regular meeting.
By the third Friday in September the City Manager will have reviewed and made changes to the Departments’ proposed budgets after consultation with the Finance Director and Department Heads in order to present an overview of preliminary budget assumptions to the City Council. These preliminary assumptions will address by fund, revenue projections, tax and utility rates, program additions or deletions, wage and benefits, or other issues with potential impact on the City’s overall financial condition.
In early October City Council will discuss the preliminary budget presented by the City Manager and take public input. After City Council directs final adjustments to the budget and in accordance with Homer City Code 3.05, the City Manager will submit to the City Council a draft budget by the third Friday in October. At a meeting held not less than ten days prior to the end of the fiscal year, the Council shall, by ordinance, make appropriation of the money needed for the following year.
This year, the Draft 2019 budget was submitted to the Council in October to review and discuss the at a worksession before introducing a budget ordinance setting the level of appropriation for the upcoming fiscal year at the October 22nd City Council Meeting. After holding public work sessions and public hearings on the budget (at Council’s regular meetings November 26th and December 10th), Budget Ordinance 18-44(A) was adopted.
After the budget has been established, the Council may transfer appropriations between major classifications or department by resolution; however, transfer of appropriations between funds must be done by ordinance. The City Manager has the authority to transfer amounts up to $10,000 within a department.
