Budget task force finalizes recommendations

Published 9:21 am Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Members of the Albert Lea budget task force met for the final time Monday evening before they are to present their ideas of how to save money in the city’s budget.

The group, represented by task force member Mike Moore, is expected to present a list of 10 to 20 recommendations during the Albert Lea City Council meeting next Monday.

The recommendations come after five informational and brainstorming sessions on the task-force level and numerous ward meetings throughout the city where information was gathered from the public about how to handle the budget crisis.

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After reviewing the public input and studying the budget, the task force members narrowed down their main talking points to give direction for council members regarding budget issues.

Moore said he plans to tell the City Council that though the task force did not agree about everything, there were many issues that they agreed upon. Those issues will be included in the list of recommendations.

Some of the recommendations included collaboration and consolidation, reviewing certain positions, working toward an energy-saving program and utilizing volunteers for certain projects, among many others.

The full, more-detailed list will be available at the council meeting.

Albert Lea City Manager Victoria Simonsen said she received the final list of employee budget recommendations Monday. After the council receives the task force recommendations, the employee recommendations and Simonsen’s own recommendations, it will have a retreat to review the suggestions. It would finalize any changes in a council meeting.

Albert Lea faces a cut up to as large as $500,000 in local government aid to the city in 2009 and up to $1 million in 2010. The cuts come on the heels of an about $400,000 cut in December of 2008.

Several of the task force members on Monday expressed a desire to move away from local government aid dependency no matter what happens with it on the state level.