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is critical and which items could be decreased based on the value received in return. She stated <br /> that there will need to be hard decisions made in the long-term. <br /> Mayor LeTourneau stated that an assumption that has not been talked about is that the budget <br /> will continue to grow, and staff will continue to be added. He stated that there have been times <br /> in the past when the City is not growing, and the budget has then leveled out along with staffing <br /> requests. He stated that it is realistic to state that the needs for service will be based on the <br /> growth of the community. <br /> Councilmember Shryock stated that the Council cannot assume that new positions will be added <br /> each year, but the positions added this year will increase in cost in future years because of the <br /> cost of living and benefit costs. <br /> Mayor LeTourneau agreed that the role the Council is in is difficult and the discussion that began <br /> in June on the budget was based on what the Council wants for the community. He stated that at <br /> this point, the Council is saying that they do not want this level of service and is willing to let the <br /> street maintenance fall behind, the police will fall behind, and the current staff will continue to <br /> be stressed and will burnout. He stated that the proposed budget holds the standards that have <br /> been put in place. He stated that this is a choice that the Council is making, and the Council will <br /> need to answer to the residents in the community. <br /> Councilmember Shryock stated there is no question that the staff is wanted or needed, but the <br /> question is how the City can afford this. She stated that if these positions are added this year, <br /> perhaps in the next year or two there are not positions added. She stated that she wants to <br /> maintain the current staff that the City has and if they feel that these positions are necessary, they <br /> would know better than the Council. She stated that if the City needs these positions now, then <br /> there needs to be an understanding that requests next year may not be approved. She stated that <br /> she would like a review of the non-crucial line items in the next year to determine if additional <br /> budget cuts could be made in the next year based on the value that is received in return. She <br /> stated that the Council does not want to sacrifice the health of staff or the services provided to <br /> residents. She stated that if this is approved there will need to be changes made in the future. <br /> Mayor LeTourneau stated that the reality is there are development plans for key employees and <br /> specific needs have been identified in the strategic plan and therefore he would assume that there <br /> have been specific figures budgeted to support those elements. He stated that the Council would <br /> also need to change the expectations of staff He stated that he supports having these <br /> conversations in the next year to re-evaluate the priorities of staff development but did not <br /> believe that could occur before the budget adoption in December. <br /> Councilmember Shryock agreed that would be a discussion to be held in the next year. <br /> Councilmember Musgrove stated that almost every department has an "other" column and asked <br /> if that"other" is described somewhere. <br /> Finance Director Lund replied that is capital outlay. <br /> City.Council Work Session/November 27, 2018 <br /> Page 5 of 7 <br />