The City Council recently authorized the commencement of the formal budget adoption process. They listened to the presentations over the last few months and authorized the staff to prepare the formal papers. In late November or early December a public hearing will be held on the adoption ordinance. The first reading will occur most likely later this month.

Many members of the council are not comfortable with the budget but they know that, with a new manager to be under contract this Thursday, changes will be likely after he arrives. Oh, by the way, the new manager is A.J. Krieger. The Mayor released the information at her Monday coffee even thought all nine members of the council agreed in Executive Session not to make any public comments until the negotiations were completed and a contract signed.

The budget as proposed is an instrument fraught with "gimmes" wanted by the staff before AJ's arrival. Because of the overhead costs related to the gimmes, there is once again an absence of major maintenance and capital improvement projects. I will be commenting on the gimmes in a few postings starting today and continuing during the next few weeks.

Terence Quinn reestablished the Community Development Department that Leslie Cullen and Phil Nelson abolished last year. You may remember my earlier posting concerning the number of people in the area as compared to the CD Department that existed in previous years. In 2001 there were four individuals. This year Terence increased it to five plus a contract employee. For next year he wants nine full-time, one part-time and one contract employee. If Terrence knew how to do rather than direct, even he would not be requesting new worker bees. Gimme a kingdom!

"Heavens to Betsy" we must be either a rapidly expanding city or one that needs to be "redeveloped." With all the development that occurred in the late nineties through the efforts of four, what does Terrence have in store for us with eleven city employees? And, get this; I'm not counting the employees in the already enlarged Building Department. The very sad part in all of this is that our Council members did not ask why or say no to one single thing Terence or the staff wanted.

I will be saying this over and over again so please keep it in mind now and in the year to come. "The budget is an unscrutinized compilation of unadulterated staff requests." The requests were not analyzed by a City Manager or our elected representatives. AJ has a tough, important job on his arrival. At least most of our Council members recognize the budget document for what it is and will be wide open to his suggested modifications.

Knowing staffs as I do, they are already making contingency plans to implement their requests. In fact, upon council approval they will be taking concrete steps to assure their bennies immediately. For example, they will be advertising and interviewing for all the new positions before the ordinance goes into effect. They know if they can get a person hired on paper before AJ appears, there is no going back. Don't let it happen!