CHAPTER X: THE BUDGET AND FINANCIAL PROCEDURE RELATING THERETO

Section

   1   Fiscal year and annual budget estimate; budget message and budget format

   2   Annual budget

   3   Transfer of appropriations

   4   Appropriation of excess revenue

   4a   Reduction of Expenditures

   5   Expenditures only pursuant to appropriations

   6   Accounts of appropriations

   7   Payment of claims

   8   Money Certified in Treasury

   9   Money deemed in treasury

   10   Obligations; when void

   11   Independent audit

   12   Sinking fund commission

§ 1 FISCAL YEAR AND ANNUAL BUDGET ESTIMATE; BUDGET MESSAGE AND BUDGET FORMAT.

   (a)   The fiscal year of the city shall begin on the first day of October and end on the last day of September. On or before the fifteenth day of August of each year, the manager shall submit to the council a proposed budget for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying message.

   (b)   The manager’s budget message shall explain the budget both in fiscal terms and in terms of the work programs. It shall outline the proposed financial policies of the city for the ensuing fiscal year, describe the important features of the budget, indicate any major changes from the current year in financial policies, expenditures, and revenues together with the reasons for such changes, and include such other material as the manager deems desirable.

   (c)   The budget shall provide a complete financial plan of all city funds and activities for the ensuing fiscal year and, except as required by law or this charter, shall be in such form as the manager deems desirable or the council may require. In organizing the budget the manager shall utilize the most feasible combination of expenditure classification by fund, organization unit, program, purpose or activity, and object. It shall begin with a clear general summary of its contents; shall show in detail all estimated income, indicating the proposed property tax levy, and all proposed expenditures, including debt service, for the ensuing fiscal year; and shall be so arranged as to show comparative figures for actual and estimated income and expenditures of the current fiscal year and actual income and expenditures of the preceding fiscal year. It shall indicate in separate sections:

      (1)   Proposed expenditures for current operations during the ensuing fiscal year, detailed by departments, in terms of their respective work programs, and the method of financing such expenditures;

      (2)   Proposed capital improvement expenditures during the ensuing fiscal year, detailed by purpose and the proposed method of financing each such capital expenditure;

      (3)   Anticipated net surplus or deficit for the ensuing fiscal year of each utility owned or enterprise fund operated by the city and the proposed method of its disposition; budgets for each utility or enterprise fund giving detailed income and expenditure information shall be included; and

      (4)   Detailed schedules indicating the City’s debt position and debt service requirements.

   The total of proposed expenditures shall not exceed the total of estimated income.

§ 2 ANNUAL BUDGET.

   Public hearings on the manager’s proposed budget shall be held and notice of such hearings shall be provided in accordance with applicable state law; however, no less than one (1) public hearing shall be held on the budget following notice of such hearing. The budget shall not be adopted at the same meeting as the public hearing. The annual appropriations ordinance providing funding for the proposed budget, along with a corresponding ad valorem tax levy ordinance shall be considered by the City Council at the same meeting the City Council considers approving the budget. Upon approval of the budget, the caption of the appropriations ordinance shall be published once, and the caption and penalty of the ad valorem tax levy ordinance shall be published twice in the City’s official newspaper. The final approved budget and the full text of each ordinance shall be posted on the city’s website and filed in the city secretary’s office and made available for public inspection. The budget will become effective upon approval by City Council. The appropriations ordinance and ad valorem tax levy ordinance shall become effective upon publication in accordance with this section.

(Ord. 22081-02-2016, § 2(VIII), 2-2-2016, approved 5-7-2016)

§ 3 TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATIONS.

   At any time during the fiscal year the manager may transfer part or all of any unencumbered appropriation balance among programs within a department, division or section upon compliance with such conditions as the City Council may establish by ordinance.

   Upon written request by the manager, the council may by ordinance transfer part or all of any unencumbered appropriation balance from one department to another. No such transfers shall be made of revenues or earnings of any non-tax supported public utility to any other purpose. The provisions of this section, as amended, shall take effect on January 1, 1984.

§ 4 APPROPRIATION OF EXCESS REVENUE.

   If at any time during the fiscal year the manager certifies that there are available for appropriation revenues in excess of those estimated in the budget, the council by ordinance may make supplemental appropriations for the year up to the amount of the excess.

§ 4a REDUCTION OF EXPENDITURES.

   If at any time during the fiscal year it appears probable to the manager that revenues available will be insufficient to meet the amount appropriated, he shall so report to the council without delay. The report shall indicate the estimated amount of the deficit, any remedial action already taken by the manager, and any recommendations as to other steps to be taken. The council shall then take such action as it deems necessary.