Budget Committee

Responsibilities

The ultimate goal of the Budget Committee is to recommend the proposed City budget to the City Council. The Committee meets annually typically between April and June to fulfill its duties and complete the budget process. It is made up of 14 individuals, consisting of all seven members of the City Council and an equal number of appointed members from the community. The appointed members must be over the age of 18 and qualified to vote within the City's election districts. 

Budget Committee Membership & Processes

Member Roles

All members of the Budget Committee have the same degree of authority and responsibility. Appointed members serve for a three-year term. The primary duties and functions of this committee are to hear the budget message, review and, if necessary, revise the budget document, hear testimony from the public, specify the rate and amount of ad valorem taxes for each fund, and announce the times set for the meetings. In keeping with state guidelines, the committee has the authority to set up the rules by which they function, and also how they hear public testimony.

Records & Meeting Process

Minutes of all meetings are kept and are available to all interested individuals upon request. In order to conduct business, the committee must have a quorum present, which means more than half of the members must be present. At the first meeting, the Budget Committee is required by state law to elect a chairperson and secretary from committee members, receive the proposed budget document, and hear the budget message from the budget officer.

All official committee actions require a majority vote, with the function of the Budget Committee ending when the budget is approved. Although this could happen at the first budget meeting, it usually takes several meetings to reach this point. When it is approved, the committee makes a recommendation to the City Council, who ultimately is responsible for adopting the budget.

Members

• Morry Jones
• Hilary Dumitrescu
• Ciara Jung
• Patricia O'Sullivan
• Margaret Thompson
• Kyle Palmer
• Peter Hulseman
• Jason Freilinger
• Elvi Cuellar Sutton
• Jess Miller
• April Newton
• Eric Hammond
• Marie Traeger 
• Matt Gaitan

Committee Application