2019-138 Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 21-Public Library

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CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM NO.2019-07 August 29,2019 TO: Honorable Mayor Moore Wolfe and City Council FROM: Scot Wrighton, City Manager Wendy Morthland, Corporation Counsel SUBJECT: Budget On the Agenda for the September 3, 2019 Council meeting are several items pertaining to the adoption of a budget system for the City of Decatur. At the City Council study session of August 6,2019, Council informally agreed to move the City from an appropriation method of operation to the budget method of operation. As a result,several actions will need to be acted upon by the Council. These items include the following: • Ordinance Adopting Chapter 18.1 which is a new City Code Chapter that will implement the new budget.system. • Motion adopting City Budget Policies • Ordinance Amending City Code Chapters 7, 10, 18, 19 and 21 as these chapters all contained language pertaining to an appropriation system(revisions to Chapters 10, 18, 19 and 21 are not substantive,and are included under the Consent Agenda). The Ordinance Adopting Chapter 18.1 largely mirrors the language set forth in state statute. In some instances, that language was slightly modified to more closely align with the budget practices discussed in the study session for Decatur. The Budget Policy sets forth the specific practices and procedures that will be followed by the City in adopting the annual budget. It also sets forth the specific practices and procedures that will be followed during the fiscal year regarding revenues and expenditures. Any changes to the Budget Policy would be required to be adopted by City Council. It is anticipated that additional budget and finance policies will be brought to the City Council later this year(including reserve policies). The amendment on the Agenda for Chapter 7 inserts a section authorizing the City Manager to spend up to $40,000 without additional Council approval but only if the money is for items that are specifically set forth in a specific line item in the budget approved by Council that cites the exact project or expenditure. If the money is for an item that is not specifically set out in a line item detail in the Council-approved budget,then the$20,000 remains the limit,as it is currently. It is recommended that all of the actions necessary for implementation of the budget method be adopted.