The Suburban Times

A community bulletin board for Western Pierce County.

Voice your opinion on DuPont’s city budget

By

By Roger Westman, City of DuPont Councilman

Have you ever wondered how the City of DuPont government determines the spending of your tax and fee dollars? Have you ever been confused about how the city budgets your money and who gets paid what? Do you support the funding allocations for all the City’s services and personnel involved?

You, too, can be a voice in the 2011 Budget Process by attending the various budget hearings, workshops and public comment periods and expressing your points of view. Conversations can be held with your elected representatives. The actual 2011 Budget will be adopted by your City Councilmembers towards the end of the 2010 calendar year.

THE WHOLE PROCESS BEGINS OCTOBER 12th!

The budget calendar looks like this…

Opportunities for citizen input are in red

October 12th – Regular Council Meeting – The Mayor publically presents her DRAFT Recommended 2011 Budget to City Council.

October 19th – Special City Council Budget Workshop (Open to the public) – Departmental Budget Reviews will be presented and openly discussed by Council and staff.

  • Community Development
  • Public Works
  • Governance
  • Support Services
  • Public Comment Period

October 26th – Regular Council Meeting – Two regular scheduled Public Comment Periods. Three minutes allocated per speaker with additional minutes if time is yield by others,

November 2nd – Special City Council Budget Workshop (Open to the public)–Remaining Departmental Budget Reviews

  • Police
  • Fire
  • Public Comment Period

NOVEMBER 2nd – Mayor publicly releases her 2011 Proposed Budget Recommendation

* Posted on City’s Web Page – www.ci.dupont.wa.us

* Sent to Councilmembers and Staff

November 9th – Regular Council Meeting

  • Two Regular Comment Periods
  • Mayor formally presents her Final Proposed 2011 Budget to Council and the public.
  • A Public Hearing is held on the Mayor’s recommendation
  • Citizen comments are permitted at hearing

November 16th – Special City Council Budget Workshop (Open to the public) – Review of non-departmental segments of budget.

  • Designated Funds and Accounts
  • Personnel
  • Capital Outlay
  • Public Comment Period

November 23rd – Regular Council Meeting

  • Two Regular Comment Periods
  • 1st Reading of the 2011 Budget Ordinance Recommendation
  • A Public Hearing on Budget Ordinance
  • Citizen comments are permitted at hearing

November 30th – Special City Council Budget Workshop (Open to the public)

  • Deliberations and discussion by Council & Staff on specific proposed items within the Budget Ordinance Proposal.
  • Public Comment Period

December 7th – (Placeholder) Special City Council Workshop (Open to the public) – to be used only if necessary

  • Further deliberations and discussion by Council & Staff on specific items within the Budget Ordinance Proposal
  • Public Comment Period

December 14th – Regular Council Meeting

  • One final Public Comment Period prior to budget adoption
  • Final Councilmember comments on Budget Ordinance
  • Final vote to adopt the Budget Ordinance

Roger C. Westman

DuPont City Council, Position 1

Comments