The City of Monroe's Finance and Taxation Committee is tasked by city code to shepherd the annual budgeting process. Among its duties are to "annually submit the city budget for public hearing and council approval on or before November 20 ..." and to "give preliminary approval and make recommendations to the council in matters concerning transfers of funds, investments, continuing appropriations, reserve accounts and any other financial matter."
Chapter 13 of the city codes details the "budget system," which includes having the Finance and Taxation Committee considering "such departmental estimates in consultation with the department head." The mayor is not mentioned in city codes as being part of the budget system.
But Mayor Ron Marsh has taken the lead in budgeting thus far. When the Finance and Taxation Committee met on Monday, Marsh told members he'd already cut $485,000 from the budget by working with Comptroller/Treasurer Cathy Maurer, Accountant Suzie Shaw and department heads. The committee needed to cut about $475,000 to stay below the state-imposed 3 percent property tax levy increase limit.
Department heads, Marsh said, will not be coming to budget meetings as they have in the past. None were present Monday.
Alderman Charles Koch challenged that decision, asking "under what authority" the mayor had the right to keep department heads out of budget meetings. Alderman Dan Henke correctly cited the city code that the committee should be consulting with department managers.
The end result is that Monday's budget process seemed to go smoothly. Some changes to the spending plan were made.
The committee decided to reinstate full city funding to the Green County Development Corporation. Last year, annual funding to GCDC was cut from $30,000 to $15,000. This year, as last year, Marsh wanted GCDC funding eliminated. We believe the committee made the correct call, though in all areas of economic development funding the city must do a better job of determining the value of the returns on its investments.
The committee also cut $125,000 budgeted for a dump truck for the Street Department, and chose not to refill a vacant Street Department position that will save the city another $59,000.
Alderman Thurston Hanson said having department heads meet "behind the scenes" with Maurer and Marsh has been "a much better process."
But the end doesn't necessarily justify the means. The $125,000 dump truck, is a good example. From a strictly budgeting standpoint, the committee made a welcome and significant cut. But without having a department head present to make the case, it's impossible for the committee or the public to know whether practically it was a wise decision.
Marsh said department heads were "more than happy" to give up supplies expenses in their budgets to avoid laying off employees. But how can committee members and the public be assured those tradeoffs are in the best interest of providing city services? A department head should be able to answer those questions in public, not "behind the scenes."
It certainly makes sense for Monroe's mayor to be a part of the budgeting process, particularly given the power the council has allowed Marsh over daily operations at City Hall. But the mayor shouldn't be dictating the budget process, the Finance and Taxation Committee, and then the Monroe Common Council, should.
Committee members were right to protest the process Monday. But they were wrong in allowing it to happen. The Finance and Taxation Committee should have required department managers to be in attendance Monday. Department heads work for the council, not the mayor.
Aldermen have the authority, or rather, the duty, to bring department heads into the public process. They should have done so. They definitely should do so in the future.
Chapter 13 of the city codes details the "budget system," which includes having the Finance and Taxation Committee considering "such departmental estimates in consultation with the department head." The mayor is not mentioned in city codes as being part of the budget system.
But Mayor Ron Marsh has taken the lead in budgeting thus far. When the Finance and Taxation Committee met on Monday, Marsh told members he'd already cut $485,000 from the budget by working with Comptroller/Treasurer Cathy Maurer, Accountant Suzie Shaw and department heads. The committee needed to cut about $475,000 to stay below the state-imposed 3 percent property tax levy increase limit.
Department heads, Marsh said, will not be coming to budget meetings as they have in the past. None were present Monday.
Alderman Charles Koch challenged that decision, asking "under what authority" the mayor had the right to keep department heads out of budget meetings. Alderman Dan Henke correctly cited the city code that the committee should be consulting with department managers.
The end result is that Monday's budget process seemed to go smoothly. Some changes to the spending plan were made.
The committee decided to reinstate full city funding to the Green County Development Corporation. Last year, annual funding to GCDC was cut from $30,000 to $15,000. This year, as last year, Marsh wanted GCDC funding eliminated. We believe the committee made the correct call, though in all areas of economic development funding the city must do a better job of determining the value of the returns on its investments.
The committee also cut $125,000 budgeted for a dump truck for the Street Department, and chose not to refill a vacant Street Department position that will save the city another $59,000.
Alderman Thurston Hanson said having department heads meet "behind the scenes" with Maurer and Marsh has been "a much better process."
But the end doesn't necessarily justify the means. The $125,000 dump truck, is a good example. From a strictly budgeting standpoint, the committee made a welcome and significant cut. But without having a department head present to make the case, it's impossible for the committee or the public to know whether practically it was a wise decision.
Marsh said department heads were "more than happy" to give up supplies expenses in their budgets to avoid laying off employees. But how can committee members and the public be assured those tradeoffs are in the best interest of providing city services? A department head should be able to answer those questions in public, not "behind the scenes."
It certainly makes sense for Monroe's mayor to be a part of the budgeting process, particularly given the power the council has allowed Marsh over daily operations at City Hall. But the mayor shouldn't be dictating the budget process, the Finance and Taxation Committee, and then the Monroe Common Council, should.
Committee members were right to protest the process Monday. But they were wrong in allowing it to happen. The Finance and Taxation Committee should have required department managers to be in attendance Monday. Department heads work for the council, not the mayor.
Aldermen have the authority, or rather, the duty, to bring department heads into the public process. They should have done so. They definitely should do so in the future.
