Page 143 - CityofSouthlakeFY25AdoptedBudget

of their department’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and with the goal of implementing best
practices associated with the services they provide. These plans are prepared on a three year cycle and are
the basis for budget submittal. Additionally, departments prepare annual work plans which articulate both the
connection to the business plan as well as clearly outlining what the department is planning to do, how they are
planning to do it and when they project the work will be complete.

Southlake’s Strategic Development/Budget Cycle Strategic Direction
Establishing a link between a City’s strategy and budget is fundamental to effective public budgeting. Southlake
works hard to connect the SMS to the budget process. Incorporating the Strategy Map into resource allocation
decisions ensures the City budget reflects the priorities of City Council. The illustration below depicts the
annual process of developing the City’s budget in conjunction with the Strategic Management System.

The budget process, like the Strategy Map, connects each department to the organization as a whole. At the
micro level, City departments work to provide quality services to the citizens of Southlake. At the macro level,
departments use the Strategy Map to make budgetary requests so that these services can be performed. As
the Budget Cycle illustration indicates (above), the process never ceases. At the beginning of each fiscal year,
in October, we conduct or review the results from the most recent citizen survey, this aids staff in focusing its
work for the coming year. Then a meeting with City Council in January provides an opportunity to review the
strategic direction, followed by the creation of departmental business plans in April and budget development in
August. In order for funding to be allocated, departments must follow the Strategy Map to align requests with
the goals, mission, and vision of Southlake.

Strategic planning plays an integral role in the development of each year’s budget and ensures the City’s ability
to meet the needs of a growing community. To be effective, the City must direct resources to those areas most
essential to the community’s priorities. The aim of the City’s Strategic Management System, with its many
integrated parts, does just that.

October Conduct/Review
Citizen Survey
1ST QUARTER
Public Hearings & Beginning of the Capital Improvement
Budget Adoption Projects (CIP) Planning
Fiscal Year
Executive Team
Executive Team Quarterly Reviews
Quarterly Reviews
Quarterly Expenditure
Control Reviews
Quarterly Expenditure
Control Reviews
Budget Development
Strategic
Management
July January
System &
4TH QUARTER 2ND QUARTER
Budget Cycle City Council Strategic
Workshop & CIP Adoption
Review Financial
Executive Team Indicators/Set Budget
Quarterly Reviews Priorities
Executive Team
Quarterly Expenditure Quarterly Reviews
Control Reviews
City Council Strategic Quarterly Expenditure
Workshop April Control Reviews
Business Planning 3RD QUARTER
Figure 5

FY 2025 City of Southlake | Budget Book 143