We’re in the middle of budget season and we voted to advertise the tax rates this week, but had lots of other business on our docket. I’ll share the latest on voting ward changes, our first look at a new development project on S. Washington/S. Maple, a potpourri of economic […]
Happy spring! City business marches on (especially during budget season) even if it’s spring break for those of us with school-aged kids. I want to specifically highlight three things: Look forward to your thoughts about voting ward changes, budget, and other topics. We’ll have a marathon meeting next Monday where […]
The City Manager presented his proposed FY24 operating budget (FY24 starts July 1, 2023) and the CIP (Capital Improvements Program) this week, which marks the beginning of City Council’s annual budget season. The budget is one of the most important decisions we make each year, as it should reflect our […]
City Council had a relatively light meeting agenda, but it was a busy news week. The groundbreaking ceremony for Founders Row 2 happened this week, but it occurred in the backdrop of news of the imminent closure of the small format Target store on S. Washington. I’ve been fielding variations […]
We had a lengthy and detailed work session this week on Transition Zones (aka, T Zones) to review the Planning Commission’s recommendations. As a quick summary – the proposal is to allow more “gentle density” (ie, smaller infill projects that would serve as an appropriate transition between lower intensity residential […]
We are in the supposed “lull” before budget season, which begins in earnest on March 27 when the City Manager proposes his operating budget and the Capital Improvements Program (CIP). (ICYMI, 2023 property assessments did come out last week; property owners will receive their assessment letters by the end of […]
This week’s post will be briefer ahead of a holiday weekend, but there are many links to read until my posts resume in March, including T zones following the Planning Commission’s unanimous vote this week and my thoughts. City Council will be back in session Feb 27 – I’m happy […]
It’s been a busy week and this week’s topics will reflect the diversity of everything we covered: climate change (and how it relates to density and development), affordable housing, long range city planning in the East End, and a coming soon community-wide survey. Read on! Also you might note that […]
We had a (rare) short City Council meeting this week, so I’ll take the opportunity to highlight upcoming items so you can stay informed and decide when/where to engage. Before budget season kicks off at the end of March for us, there’s a lot happening on the economic development front […]
Happy 2023! Your City Council is back in session, and we hit the ground running with a library tour, regular meeting, and work session all in one night. There are a number of good topics to share – affordable housing, outdoor dining and parking requirements, and our quarterly work plan […]
We wrapped up our last meeting of 2022 and covered topics that I expect will be continued themes in 2023 – budget guidance, speed cameras, and employee compensation. Looking ahead, we’ll be discussing the rules for outdoor dining (that were temporarily relaxed during Covid), our community climate plan, and recommendations […]
We kicked off the FY24 budget process this week with our annual joint meeting with our School Board colleagues. TL;DR: the preliminary revenue forecast is 4.2% growth over last year. Read on to learn more about what that may mean for your tax bill and key cost drivers that will […]