Page 389 - City of Westlake FY20 Budget

Section 11 Municipal Policies
Municipal Fiscal & Budgetary Policies

H. Central Control: Modifications within the operating categories (salaries, supplies, maintenance,
services, capital, etc.) can be made with the approval of the Town Manager. Modifications to
reserve categories and interdepartmental budget totals will be made only by Town Council
consent with formal briefing and Council action.

I. Planning: The budget process will be coordinated so as to identify major policy issues for Town
Council by integrating it into the Council’s overall strategic planning process for the Town. Each
department shall have a multi-year business plan that integrates with the Town’s overall
strategic plan.

J. Reporting: Monthly financial reports will be prepared by the Finance Department and
distributed to and reviewed by each Director. Information obtained from financial reports and
other operating reports is to be used by Directors to monitor and control departmental budget.
Summary financial reports will be presented to the Town Council quarterly.

K. Performance Measures & Productivity Indicators: Where appropriate, performance measures
and productivity indicators will be used as guidelines to measure efficiency, effectiveness, and
outcomes of Town services. This information will be included in the annual budget process as
needed.

L. Contingent Appropriation: During the budget process, staff will attempt to establish an
adequate contingent appropriation in each of the operating funds. The expenditure for this
appropriation shall be made only in cases of emergency, and a detailed account shall be
recorded and reported. The proceeds shall be disbursed only by transfer to departmental
appropriation. All transfers from the contingent appropriation will be evaluated using the
following criteria:
• Is the request of such an emergency nature that it must be made immediately?
• Why was the item not budgeted in the normal budget process?
• Why can’t the transfer be made within the department?

IV. REVENUES MANAGEMENT
A. Revenue Design Parameter: The Town will pursue the following optimum characteristics in its
revenue system:

• Simplicity - The Town, where possible and without sacrificing accuracy, will strive to keep the
revenue system simple in order to reduce costs, achieve transparency, and increase citizen
understanding of Town revenue sources.

• Certainty - A knowledge and understanding of revenue sources reliability increases the
viability of the revenue system. The Town will understand, to the best of its ability, all aspects
of its revenue sources and their performance, as well as enact consistent collection policies to
provide assurances that the revenue base will materialize according to budgets, forecasts, and
plans.

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