Getting Started

Background

Why do all this, anyway?

1. For you: You will create to-do and shopping lists. These lists makes it more likely that you will work on the most important tasks and get what you need to accomplish them.
2. For the city council: The elected council members are responsible to the taxpayers and voters for what you do and spend. To fulfill this oversight responsibility they must know what you are going to do and what you need to do it.
3. For the public: The City of Gustavus is a public entity using public money. Taxpayers and voters have a right to know your proposed actions and comment on them.

Help!

Assistance is available from your planning and finance committee liaisons. They will help with every step of this process so do not hesitate to contact them.

More Background

Basic Facts

What you need to know before starting

• Planning is done each fiscal year. The city's fiscal year is the twelve-month period ending each June 30. For example, FY10 is the fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, i.e. 7/1/2009 through 6/30/2010

• Planning begins in January or February when your planning and finance committee liaisons give you pre-filled work plan and budget forms. The work plan is pre-filled with suggested goals based on the community's strategic plans and your current year goals (if any). The budget form is pre-filled with current and/or previous year budget and actual amounts for your committee.

Planning Procedure Overview

Follow these steps to complete your annual budgets and plans. Remember, you have friends on the planning and finance committees to help you through each step of this process.

1. Annual Work Plan. This is where you decide what you are going to do in the coming fiscal year. You must prepare your plan in a public meeting with the work plan posted as an agenda item. See a completed Example Work Plan...

2. For each one-time purchase or project on your Annual Work Plan...
3. 1. Complete a capital request.
      
   2. Also complete a Project Scoping Form for each complex project (those with multiple items and services, high costs, or significant environmental or social impacts) (see a completed Example Project Scoping Form).
4. Operating Budget. Complete the spreadsheet provided by your finance committee liaison for your ongoing, recurring income and expenses.
   

5. Submit your operating budget by March 30. The clerk and planning committee will review your work plan and budget forms. They may have questions or suggestions for you, then they will pass them on to the City Council.

6. Public Comment on the city budget before the City Council will happen at the May City Council meeting. The City Council will approve a budget in June and it may or may not be what you requested.