City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

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Title 07
Chapter 07.14
Section 07.14.030
 

Title 07 Finance

Chapter 07.14 Budget Process

Section 07.14.030 Budget Monitoring and Review
  1. The Finance, Treasury and Administration Division shall provide regular, monthly, financial reports including budget-to-actual data for the General Fund and any other key fund(s), as necessary. The reports will be provided to the City Council as soon as reasonably available upon the closing of the period.
  1. As part of the regular monthly reports, a summary of the General Fund budgeted revenue and expenditures shall be provided with estimates of beginning and ending fund balance and reserves with presumptions and trends, and, when available, council budget staff outlooks defined in the estimates.
  1. In the month following the end of a quarter’s Finance and Administration Committee Meeting, the Management and Budget Department will provide a summary of potential financial or operational issues that may impact the City’s overall financial position, either positively or negatively, based on analysis of actuals relative to the approved budget.
  1. In the month following the end of the quarter, the Management and Budget Department will provide proposed budget amendments as deemed appropriate based on operational activities, grant or contract awards, financial projections, or other relative information. City Council will determine which proposed budget amendments will proceed for the approval process via a special budget ordinance. The special budget ordinance will be scheduled for approval accordingly.
  1. The Finance, Treasury and Administration Division shall provide a pre-audit year- end financial report for the General Fund, and any other key fund deemed appropriate. The report will include relative fund/reserve balances for the General Fund. The report will be provided to the City Council as soon as reasonable and reliable financial information is available following the close of the fiscal year, but no later than the end of May.
  1. Based on analysis of financial activity from the previous fiscal year, as reported in the pre-audit year-end financial report, the Finance, Treasury and Administration Division shall provide:
  1. An update to the General Fund Five-Year Forecast based on all known or expected revenues and expenditures. The General Fund Five-Year Forecast will include the current year’s budget, current year projections, and updated projections including projections for the subsequent four years and, when available, council budget staff projections for the same periods. The report will be provided to the City Council by the May Finance and Administration Committee meeting.
  1. Focused discussion on current year General Fund “summary type code” accounts (both within the General Fund and supported by the General Fund) that have a materiality level of a budgeted 5% of overall expenditures and/or is projected to be +/- of $250,000 of its annual budget allocation.
  1. By the May Finance and Administration Committee meeting, the Administration will provide a recommendation to the City Council which, via Special Budget Ordinance, rectifies the material budget inaccuracies identified within 07.14.030 (C)(2) to fall below thresholds identified.
  1. The Finance, Treasury and Administration Division, and other senior administration personnel and cabinet members, shall, upon concurrence of the mayor, make themselves available for budget deliberations with the City Council on a monthly basis, or more frequently as mutually agreed with the mayor.  The city council shall set aside its regular study sessions on the second Thursday of each month, if coinciding with a holiday, the third Thursday shall be set aside for budget presentations and discussions with program managers, cabinet-level department heads, and senior level administrators. The Administration should make other staff members available as necessary or beneficial to the content of the planned discussion. The monthly study sessions shall be held in a location that allows for real-time public viewing of the study session via a live telecast or streaming in the same manner as regular briefing and legislative session of the city council.

Date Passed: Monday, December 4, 2023

Effective Date: Wednesday, January 17, 2024

ORD C36456 Section 1