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I : I i I II the staff to, in fact, follow the priorities that this Council has set both in terms of structuring the budget to accomplish it as well as devoting their time and attention to , ' accomplishing those priorities." - Councilman Claire said, "I'd liken the process of our budget to that of the private sector. I have had the privilege of serving on three private sector boards of directors, and have been on the finance committee of those three boards. The process that we have followed as board members is very similar to the process that we have followed here at the Council level. Priorities are set at the board of directors level and staff builds budgets to reflect those priorities and we approve them. I don't find any difference between that private sector experience and this public sector experience. I believe that the degree of planning that goes on at the staff level is a reflection of what Mayor Hartnett has said. It reflects the majority Council Member's positions on programs and priorities. Again, if four members of this Council decide that there shall be more police officers, staff will modify the budget and will present to us alternatives to fund that decision. And the planning process is an on-going process. Budgets are live documents that need to be modified and reviewed constantly. That is the way it is taught in MBA schools, and that is the way I teach it when I teach at the graduate leveL.. I think that it is important for us to realize that it is a living document that can be modified as the need arises. That is not to say that we do not plan. We do not have the report in our hands. If we waited for the report in our hands to adopt the budget, we would be illegal by state law. And therefore we will -- have to wait for that report, and when that report comes forward, we will have to modify that plan by moving monies around within the budget." Councilman Ruskin said, "Just a small point, I find it not to be a point of concem that the budget has provided for small increases. I find that to be good planning. If you are going out looking for people to hire in entry level positions, you might be in a position where to get the people you need, you'll have to go a little bit over the minimal entry level. The fact that the budget provides for some flexibility there to me, is not poor planning, to me that is good planning. And I concur with the Mayor and Councilman Claire in their other remarks." ITERATION OF THE MOTION. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCE MIS: CLAIRE/BUCHAN. TITLE READ. ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF REDWOOD CITY ADOPTING THE FINAL BUDGET OF THE CITY OF REDWOOD CITY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1,1997 - JUNE 30, 1998; PROVIDING FOR THE APPROPRIATION AND EXPENDITURE OF ALL SUMS SET FORTH IN SAID BUDGET; PROVIDING FOR EMERGENCY EXPENDITURES, TRANSFERS, ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATIONS, CANCEL- ----- LATIONS AND REAPPROPRIATIONS OF EXISTING APPROPRIATIONS; REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 55 JULY 14, 1997 MINUTES Page No. 451 PAGE 14