Council members took several minutes schedule the budget workshop due to conflicting schedules. “Someone has to bend a little bit,” said Councilman Rick Cook.Councilman John Procter asked how long the budget workshop should last and if it could be help prior to a regular council meeting.The 300-page budget document will require too much time, said Cosentini, as “historically,” the first meeting on the subject is a review department by department to allow the council to identify items they might want more information on. A second meeting can be arranged if necessary, as the council might want to “reserve judgment on some items,” that need more study. Such a scenario occurred last year, he added.The date for the budget workshop was set for August 7 at 6:30 p.m.Johnson wanted assurances that since the budget won’t be adopted until after the deadline, “Anything critical to public safety issues, police or fire, that is absolutely critical,” won’t be impacted.Cosentini said most public safety expenditures are for equipment, but if any emergencies occur, “We would come to you as soon as possible,” for special council action.
City Council sets special budget workshop meeting
June 22, 2001
Santa Paula City Council
A special meeting to go over the 2001-2002 budget “page by page” has been set with assurances to the City Council that any goals can be factored in.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesA special meeting to go over the 2001-2002 budget “page by page” has been set with assurances to the City Council that any goals can be factored in.The City Council discussed the upcoming budget and its relation to goals at the June 18 meeting.Mayor Don Johnson asked City Manager Peter Cosentini if the budget workshop - a meeting held prior to council adoption, which is done at a regular session - should be before or after the council workshop.Cosentini said “one advantage” to setting goals after studying the budget is that homework on where cuts could come from to fund goals can be accomplished, including different funding for goals. Goals can be set prior to the budget session, he added, with the “understanding that staff would not be doing any spending,” for capital projects until goals were set.“I feel strongly that the whole purpose of goal setting was to establish a budget that has our goals in it,” said Councilwoman Laura Flores Espinosa.
