Page 4 - CityofMansfieldFY24Budget

HOW TO READ THIS DOCUMENT

You are reading the published City of Mansfield Budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2023 and
ending September 30, 2024. This document has been prepared to help you, the reader, learn about the
issues affecting the Mansfield community. Many people believe a City Budget is only a financial plan.
Although you can learn much of the City’s financial portfolio, the 2023-2024 Budget Document has been
designed to serve other functions as well. The budget is a policy document as it presents major policies
that guide how the City is managed. The budget is also an operational guide that gives the public, elected
officials and City staff information pertaining to the production and performance of individual
departments. The budget is drafted as a communication device. Information is conveyed in a way that
should be easy to understand, even by those unfamiliar with the City of Mansfield.

THE BUDGET FORMAT

The Budget Document is divided into seven major sections: Introduction and Budget Message, Financial
Policies and Long-Term Financial Plan, Major Revenues, Goals and Objectives, Budget Summaries,
detailed Financial and Operational information on each of the major funds, and finally, Attachments.

The Introductory section contains a synopsis of the City in terms of the community and its demographics.
The City Manager’s Budget Message, addressed to the City Council, explains the major issues and
policies that affected the development of the 2023-2024 budget. Next, the Long-Term Financial Plan lays
out the City’s 10-year Strategic Plan.

The Major Revenues section explains where the City’s funding comes from, including property tax, sales
tax, and other sources of revenue.

The Goals and Objectives mirror the City Manager’s Budget Message and describe the primary focus
areas for delivering quality City services to the community and its residents.

The Budget Summary section provides details on the General Fund and other major funds, including
Enterprise Funds, Special Revenue Funds and Capital Improvement Funds. The City of Mansfield uses
the fund method of accounting. A fund is a unit that tracks the application of public resources. In this
section, financial statements are provided for each fund, showing the beginning balances, revenues,
expenditures, and ending balances for the year.

Following the financial statements are narratives and illustrations that describe the major aspects of a
particular function within the City. The Financial/Operational section explains not only the City’s
organizational structure, but specific fund and department information as well. There may be one or more
departments that comprise each fund. Most interest is in the General Fund, which includes City operations
and is funded primarily by property and sales tax. Each department is presented with a mission statement,
a list of accomplishments for the previous fiscal year and operational objectives for the 2023-2024 Fiscal
Year. Performance measures for each department are also provided, along with a summary of funding and
staffing information for each department for a number of years.

Finally, various attachments are presented in the back of the document that include the adopted Budget
and Tax Rate Ordinances, top employers, a historical analysis of the tax rate, commonly used acronyms
and a Glossary of Terms.

Please contact the City’s Financial Services Department for questions related to the 2023-2024 Budget
Document at 817-276-4263.

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