Roll Call
Present:
Garrett Furuichi
​Paula Hyatt
Dennis Slattery
Rich Rosenthal
Adam Hanks
Mark Welch
Jim Bachman,Member of the Public
Jules, Member of the Public

Approval of Minutes
No Previous Meetings to Approve

Public Form
No public comments were made

*Meeting Minutes are in order of Agenda Item

Discussion Item #1-Committee Scope of Work
Chairman Slattery began the meeting and asked if the committee would like to hear the scope of work.

Committee Member Furuichi added that he has read it and asked if it could be amended later. 
Chairman Slattery explained that the scope of work would not be amended as it what was given to them to work with from council. Committee Member Furuichi then asked if as a result that 
recommendations could be made. Chairman Slattery explained that they will have recommendations that will be taken to council at a later time.

Chairman Slattery stated that the goal of the first meeting was to determine when the committee will meet, how often and how quickly the committee would like to complete the work, and to also tackle further agendas and outlines. He also explained that the there is a legal environment, and Ashland environment and what asked what outlines on the work can be made from this.  From this work recommendation can be made to council.  He also commented that this committee is set to show how to best utilize the time and create the best project. Within this committee time there would be education on all sides of the budget process, enforcement of the budget rules from the state and then by way have how want to do this from the city standpoint. This he said would be for Councilman Rosenthal and himself to communicate to the council. He also noted that this committee will be bound by this and it will up to future committees to come up with their own way of outlining this.

Chairman Slattery questioned the team as to what they want to cover over the course of committee meetings. He stated that the legal environment and discussion of what laws guide the budget process would be a good place to start. This would require bringing in City Attorney Dave Lohman to present on the laws that would apply to the budget process. Chairman Slattery suggested that this be requested on the morning of 8/31/2017. Committee Member Furuichi suggested an agenda beforehand due for pre-comment. Chairman Slattery stated that would work best to have City Attorney Lohman at one meeting to present and the second to be a question and answer time. Committee Member Furuichi suggested that this is the framework for this committee is the legal standing.

Committee Member Furuichi also stated that more time needs to be spent study session. Chairman Slattery suggested that the question be asked as to what the legal standing of the Budget Committee is after the budget has been completed. He also expressed the importance of knowing officially what details of meetings are required of the budget committee. This could be he stated different from how the city states it and what the legal. The time with City Attorney Lohman will be used as a 
study session, he suggested.

Mark Welch, Administrative Services Director, gave his thoughts on the committee’s work and what he would like to see come out of it. He stated once a proposed balance budget is presented, it is hard to make changes because you are then cutting funds to fund a different priority. The difference he noted in the last budget process was the committee wanted to know what the process was rather then the look at actual document. He noted in his previous position that the committee would go  step by step and would give a buy out from them. He stated that they did this for every part of the  process. This helped for all parties to see different parts of the budget.  He stated that sees more of a flowing process, rather than an adopted process. Committee Member Hyatt said this is what she has seen a similar process in her experience. She stated that movement of funds can usually happen in the project area. She stated that this were prioritization comes in. She asked that each department have priorities of what projects need to be completed. This is where she said the most changes can happen in a budget.

Welch stated the department presentation for the budget committee were not of any added value. He also added that line by line explanations were not an effective use of time.

Committee Member Furuichi asked Welch to create a calendar of when we different topics would be already be addressed. The idea of a calendar he suggested would help to go over topics of concerns ahead of time. This would help to add in other topics suggested by the committee that need to be addressed. Chairman Slattery stated that his hope that there would be some Monday study sessions that would work with Council.  CIP was given as an example a topic that would be used. He also stated that there are some legal rules on what can be discussed as well. Committee Member Furuichi stated that this is more about education. Committee Member Hyatt noted that we will notice changes in quarterly reports as well. Chairman Slattery suggested that we need to have clear 
expectations on roles.

Committee Member Hyatt asked about CIP projects and when they are available, she wants to know if this can be reviewed ahead of time from a financial perspective. She suggested we need more opportunity for the budget committee to be reviewing the budget project ahead of time. Hanks added that this is an item needs to be discussed as role of the budget committee.

Chairman Slattery noted that every person in Ashland has an opportunity to comment on CIP. He also noted that the city has a look ahead document on the website. He suggested that this needs to be updated more often. The budget committee should be aware of these.

Committee Member Rosenthal suggested that a synopsis of needs for CIP projects needs to created, with details. He stated that it needs to be created in one sheet that can be referenced. Chairman Slattery said there is just not enough time in the current process. Chairman Slattery suggested that many people do not know of master plan. He said that need to educated the budget committee members, community and council members.

Hanks noted that CIP use to be on a five-year budget. A part that related to the current budget  
would then be placed in the budget. Committee Member Hyatt suggested the look ahead be on a track. We need to make sure that we communicate with public what we can and not pull from. She also stated that by showing this people would understand that a picture is worth a thousand words. Chairman Slattery noted that the new dashboards help with everyone’s understanding. Committee Member Furuichi suggested that we need to understand the metrics, and measurements. He asked  if these needs to go council. He suggested asking what methods need to be used. Chairman Slattery suggested that the dashboard would be an evolving process.

Discussion Item #2-Committee Goals/Objectives
Committee Member Furuichi asked if the goal for recommendations would be end of October for a presentation. Chairman Slattery noted that when the idea for this committee was presented it sold to Council as six meetings. Committee Member Furuichi asked if the end October would be a good goal to set. when the date for packets. Committee Member Furuichi said it would be good to have a goal in mind. Adam Hanks noted that the final deadline may be to close and that it would be better  to aim for November.

Chairman Slattery gave the example of what would be January to June process would look like and challenged the committee to think about what would be an efficient budget process. He also suggested that that prioritization schedule that comes from council be added into the process.

Slattery noted that the time before the year of a new budget needs to be used as a time reeducated and to conduct study sessions and department presentations. Committee Member Hyatt and Committee Member Furuichi agreed. A top priority would be the above mentioned legal topic. Committee Member Hyatt suggested having Mark Welch, Administrate Services Director, present what the process is for staff in the next biennium, as well as in the off years. She also suggested that she would like to know what changes if any are being made to this process and the role of how committees and city staff work together. Chairman Slattery suggested that this needs to be donewith the whole commit, so everyone can understand the process. Committee Member Hyatt asked also for a review of committee rules and meeting procedures.

Councilman Rosenthal suggested after the topic of legal has been reviewed to begin the process of onboard for the budget committee. This would include orientation, job description and overall education. He asked that this would be treated like a job. The entire committee agreed.

Chairman Slattery suggested the message that was sent out during the last budget period was not a good one. He also suggested that we need to do a better job of having transparency during the entire process and making it look as if we are working as a team. This he mentioned directly relates to onboarding.

Councilman Rosenthal mentioned Team Ashland may be a good model to look at. He also suggested a version of this for budget committee. Adam Hanks, Interim Assistant to the City Administrator said this has happened in the past and this would be something to possibly bring back. Chairman Slattery suggested that everyone who is on the budget committee should join in the onboarding process. Councilman Rosenthul suggested a deliverable of this would be on a gnat chart for the next three year to be used a guide. Committee Member Hyatt suggested that the timeline of this would be when meetings would take place would be under the legal frame work. Chairman Slattery noted that this could be take place in study session. He explained what the difference between the study session and the meetings are.

Committee Member Haytt suggested looking into what other cities have set up around budget work. Mark Welch stated that this would be a task that the administive services team for the city but that Ashland is unique. In Committee Members Hyatt’s experience, she has noticed the importance of constant standards.  She also mentioned this is not in an effort to take the easy way out.

Chairman Slattery agreed and showed on a chart showing what things need to be lined up ahead of time. Chairman Slattery stated that now is the time to make this process work not at the budget committee. He also stated Council is now beginning to start strategic planning. This he also stated could be used in the budget process to add value. The priorities should flow in the budget process. Chairman Slattery then stated that we need to spell out the difference between government accounting and private accounting. Between all parties he advised that the priorities be the same. Committee Member Hyatt suggested when to have better definition of decision points would help in this process. Hanks also suggested who is the decision maker of each would be helpful. Chairman Slattery added that he it would be helpful to know what the advising role on these items is as well. He noted that it is all about the pacing and spacing.

Committee member Hyatt asked about quarterly reports and the role that they also play in this 
process. Welch stated that this on the next agenda. Chairman Slattery stated need to bring budget committee members in for study sessions regarding quarterly reports, although he did not know what this time line would look like. This would help to respond proactivity. Hanks suggested that this will help internally with a systematic placement. The team discussed what the difference was between a study session and other voting meetings was and that study sessions were the time to discuss and voting meeting were the time to make decision. Adam Hanks stated knowing when these reviews would take place would elevate wondering when the next needed documents arecoming. Mark Welch mentioned that OpenGov would be working which would help to show in real time what budgets look like.

Councilman Rosenthal also noted that we as a city need to restore faith in the budget process. He also suggested that this will help restore faith in the community. He suggested that the last 
budget process was the “perfect storm.” And that more meetings to address the issues will help 
restore faith will help. Slattery used Committee Member Hyatt’s “socialization” as something that we need to use to bring the team together. Slattery stated that there are three different roles they are the staff, appointed committee members and council members. He also spoke to the responsibly of each team.

Future Meeting Schedule

Chairman Slattery asked the committee what times would work. Keeping the meetings on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. Committee Member Furuichi suggested after 6:00 p.m. Slattery said it would be best to have everyone around the table. Committee Member Furuichi suggested a doodle account to help the team scheduled. Councilman Rosenthal suggested 5:30 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. Chairman Slattery suggested that the number of meetings that the number of meetings will be determined at the end of this meeting based on what the committee has decided that they want to cover.

The committee then decided on 6:00 p.m. for September 13th, September 27th, October 11th, October 25th and November 8th Each meeting is set by the committee to last an hour and half. Adam Hanks stated that the last meeting would work well to get items on the agenda for the November council meeting.

Chairman Slattery then asked for suggestions on the next meeting agenda. The next meeting, he suggested would be a presentation from Dave Lotham, it would be asked that been given 30 minutes followed by a time of questions and answers.  The tentative meeting time of September 27th would also be reserved for a time of questions and answers with City Attorney Lohman. Chairman Slattery noted that time would be reserve at the end of that meeting for the creating the “Ashland” process and values of the entire team.

Adjournment/Wrap Up
6:10 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted By: Natalie Thomason