16-1: Meeting Minutes of December 8, 2023 — original pdf

Backup

PARB Working Group - Budget December 8, 2023, 12pm - 1pm Virtual Attendees: Lane Becker, Kathryn Flowers, Nicole Merritt, Shelby Orme Absent: Jennifer Franklin 1. Overview of General Timeline & Goals of Working Group Board Member Flowers gave an overview of the budget timeline at the City of Austin. The financial analysis period begins in January and the Chief Administrative Officer of PARD will begin internal processes at that time. It is recommended that the Board submit any recommendations to Council by March. Recommendations can be made after that time, but it is not ideal. Goal of the working group is to make substantive recommendations to Council, informed by PARD needs and board member preferences, with sufficient support for maximum success during the budget process. It was determined that for transparency, minutes would be taken at each meeting and posted as backup and the next PARB meeting on this update item. 2. Strategy for Types of Budget Requests (Basis v. Unmet Need) - Backup & Collaboration with Other Boards We reviewed the two types of budget requests that come from the department, those that have a basis (in Council resolution, audit finding, state law, etc.) or those that are unmet needs. We agreed that we preferred to support those that have a basis, when possible, and that if there were urgent needs we were aware of without a basis, we may need to advocate with our council members for a basis to be established. We also discussed a need for collaborating with other Boards to strengthen recommendations, where we might have shared goals. The following boards were mentioned as possible collaborations - Joint Inclusion Committee (all Quality of Life boards/commissions); Environmental Commission, Joint Sustainability, Urban Transportation Commission, Affordable Housing Commission. Board Member Orme volunteered to look through the whole list of boards/commissions and share a full set of recommendations with the group. Additionally, Board Member Merritt suggested we should make a spreadsheet to track possible recommendations and volunteered to start that. 3. Board Member Ideas/Concerns/Goals for Working Group Board Member Merritt suggested it would be helpful to provide a cheat sheet to the full Board on timeline and what they might consider as they bring forward items for budget consideration. Board Member Flowers agreed to draft something and circulate it. Board Member Becker suggested we look at past PARB recommendations related to budget- cycle and volunteered to pull those and share with the working group, as well as note any high level takeaways. ACTION ITEM RECAP: - Board Member Flowers to take minutes for this meeting and circulate for agreement, ahead of posting at the next meeting - Board Member Flowers to draft a “cheat sheet” for the full Board regarding timeline and considerations for any items they may want to bring forward - Board Member Becker to look at past PARB recommendations related to budget-cycle and share with the working group, as well as note any high level takeaways. - Board Member Orme to look through all boards and commissions and identify possible synergies where we could reach out to discuss join priorities - Board Member Merritt to create a spreadsheet to track possible recommendations and share with the group