Maitland City Talk

The city’s budget year begins on Oct. 1 and the fiscal year 2016 budget must be adopted in September. The 2016 budget period runs from October 2015 through September 2016, and is sometimes referred to as the 2015-16 budget.

The city takes great pride in the amount of citizen and staff participation that occurs in the budget process. In February, staff members are provided with a Budget Preparation Guide, which provides guidelines and instructions related to submitting operating budgets, capital improvement program items and budget recommendations.

Once staff has completed their departmental assignments, the staff liaisons to various boards meet to discuss the prioritization of various projects with the respective boards. Initial operating and capital budgets are submitted by staff in March, and budget season formally kicks off with the issuance of the draft five-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP) in April.

The CIP provides a five-year funding plan for all of the city’s infrastructure elements, including: paving; sidewalks and bicycle trails; entry feature and streetscape; stormwater and drainage; parks and recreation improvements; water and wastewater; and city facilities. This process begins with a workshop at a Planning & Zoning Commission meeting in April.

In order to provide many opportunities to gain resident feedback prior to budget adoption in September, the city hosts a number of workshops and public meetings at City Hall from April through September. Citizen feedback from these workshops and meetings provides valuable direction to the City Council and city staff prior to finalizing the budget. All budget documents are posted to the city’s website and available for citizen review prior to meetings and workshops. Below is a calendar outlining the public process used in developing the budget.

April 16:

Planning & Zoning Commission Workshop

• Capital Improvements Program, fiscal years 2016 to 2020

May 7:

Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing

• Capital improvements program, fiscal year 2016 to 2020

• Recommendation to City Council

July 20:

City Council Workshop

• General Fund workshop

• Presentations by city departments

July 23:

City Council workshop

• Cultural partner and Maitland Public Library budget workshop

July 27:

City Council meeting

• Set tentative millage rate for ad valorem taxes

• Council decision item

• First reading CIP draft

Aug. 3:

City Council workshop

• Budget workshop – Community Redevelopment Agency, Stormwater Fund, Water & Sewer Fund, and Solid Waste Fund

Aug. 24:

City Council Meeting

• Council Decision: Set stormwater rate

Sept. 14:

City Council Meeting

• Council decisions – Truth in millage compliance

• First reading of tentative budget and solid waste rates

Sept. 28:

City Council meeting

• Public hearing and second reading – Millage adoption, final budget adoption, Solid Waste rates, and adoption of capital improvements program FY 2016 to 2020.