Fiscal Year

The Budget Office is under the direction of the City Budget Manager who is a member of the leadership team of the Department of Finance and Administration.

The following function are performed by the Budget Office:

• Coordination of the biennial budget development process {more detail}
• Preparation of the Long Term Financial Plan {more detail}
• Preparation of the Six Year Capital Improvement Plan {more detail}
• Preparation and reporting of Interim Budget Changes {more detail}
• Generation and distribution of Quarterly Reports which monitor financial and operational progress {more detail}
• Management of franchise agreements {more detail}

Responsibilities for City Budgeting

• The City Council is responsible for adopting the City's budget and for appropriating the resources required to fund the City's plan of services and facilities.  The City Council reviews budgetary performance by the City departments, agencies and contracting organizations and reviews and approves significant changes in budgets during the two year budget period.
• The Mayor directs the staff in development submitting the proposed budget to the City Council.  The Mayor directs City departments and agencies in managing the budget within the policy parameters set by the City Council. The Mayor recommends significant changes in the budget as required by policy.
• The Budget Office assists and supports the Mayor, the departments and the agencies in developing and administering the budget.  The Budget Office manages Two Year Budget Development processes, the interim budget change process and budgetary performance documentation and reporting.  The Budget Office also develops and updates the Long Term Financial Plan, the Six Year Capital Improvement Budget, coordinates the Quarterly Reporting process and manages the City's interest in certain contracts for services and for franchises.
• The City departments, agencies and contracting organizations prepare budgets to meet strategic and immediate goals and service objectives for review and action by the City Council.  Upon adoption, they manage the budgets to achieve performance targets in the most cost efficient manner possible. Departments have broad discretion to manage their budgets and to transfer money within the total appropriations authorized for them within the Two Year Budget.

The Two Year Budget begins on October 1.  Under Idaho State Code, the City must separately adopt each of the two fiscal years within the Two Year Budget.

Long Term Financial Plan

To provide a strategic context for the Two Year Budget, the City uses a six year financial planning process to identify and study the current economic environment, to review the City's financial and human resources policies and their relation to budgetary planning, study and project key revenue sources, to develop projections of the impact of the economy, budget needs, and fiscal constraints upon the City's financial position and to study alternative scenarios, the proposed concepts and specific objectives and mechanism to achieve a "structurally balances" budget, and to identify the City's debt opportunities.

The current Six Year Financial Plan is published as a component of the Two Year Budget.

Six Year Capital Improvement Budget

The Budget Office works with departments and agencies to develop the six year plan for capital facilities provided and maintained by the City. The capital budget process is integrated within the Two Year Budget development process to assure that resources needed for capital facilities are coordinated within the City's overall financial capacity and opportunities.

The first two years of the six year capital plan are approved and funded within the Two Year Budget. The four "out" years are approved in concept and to provide a strategic context for financial planning. Because Idaho State Code requires that all approved budgets be closed at fiscal year end, capital budgets are carried forward through the budget carry forward resolutions at year end to provide continuity for projects. The projects and remaining available budgets are approved by the City Council must be consistent with the Re-budgeting Policy.

The current Six Year Capital Improvement Plan is published as a component of the Two Year Budget.

Interim Budget Change Process

The Executive Management Team (EMT) provides counsel to the Mayor and City Council related to all proposed changes to the adopted budget that require City Council approval.  The EMT is chaired by the Mayor and supported by the Budget Office.  All department heads and a member of the Employees Advisory Committee are members of the EMT.

The Mayor recommends all actions at the EMT and the Budget Office transmits them to the City Council for action.  All Interim Budget Changes (IBC) agendas and recommendations are posted on the web to document discussion by the EMT and action by the City Council.

Quarterly Reporting

The Budget Office manages the quarterly reporting process through which department, agencies and contracting organizations report on their stewardship of City resources. The quarterly reports include an executive summary of the City's financial position and available funds; of significant financial events and actions, including budget changes; of all changes in full time equivalent (fte) count; a report of the status of all capital improvement projects; a report of performance measurements for services set in the adopted budget; and all uses of City contingent account funds. Departments, agencies and contracting organizations provide reports of significant financial trends and issues; of services and facilities achievements; of their financial status; of the status of their capital projects, and of the status and position of each "fund" that they manage.

Franchise Management

The Budget Office manages City Franchise agreements for cable, water, solid waste, electric and natural gas services.