I will be periodically broadcasting information to all of you via email, yet please do not hesitate to contact me by phone or email if you should have any questions or concerns for me about what is communicated.

MEET WITH COUNTY MANAGER
Between February 1 and February 28, Matthew Woodard, County Manager and Budget Officer, respectfully requests to meet with departments concerning next year’s budget. Separate meetings will be held with each department. Chris Hildreth, Renee Jones, Brian Helms, Belinda Stuart, and myself may also be involved in many of these meetings. We will all meet in the conference room (aka workroom) next to the Commissioner’s Assembly room. We will strive to keep the length of each meeting to an hour or less. If you believe more time may be needed or you want to combine your meeting with another’s (such as Inspections and Planning together), please let me know how much more time you’d like for me to set aside. Please contact me to arrange an available time that best suits you.

ISSUES PROPOSED CHANGES
We would like to hear about issues and proposed changes related to (1) operations, (2) personnel, (3) assets (technology and other important items), (4) proposed solutions to those issues, and (5) how budget would be impacted by implementing those solutions.
(1)	“operations” would include all matters not included as personnel or assets (keep this part of the discussion primarily to any items that make up a large part of your department’s operating budget).
(2)	“personnel” would include all paid and volunteer workers (feel free to voice your concern about pay rates, if you are concerned, and/or ask about Matthew’s approach to future pay increases for staff).
(3)	“assets (technology and other important items)” would include vehicles, computers, software, related matters, as well as copiers, specialized printers, desks, and like items.

Normally, for operations, Matthew assigns a total figure and it’s the job of you and I (at a later time) to dig deeper to align the budget to different expenditure accounts based on your planned purchases. So, normally, except to discuss changes, the budget for operations is not normally a large part of this discussion.

Likewise, for personnel, Matthew and Renee will review pay rates and benefit rates and assign sufficient budget to cover those expenditures. Unless changes are being proposed, this subject is not normally a large part of this discussion.

Still, this is your opportunity to present ideas for changes that impact budget. The above text is to give you a reference, a baseline for expectations if you will. Please do not interpret this wording as a means to stifle change or to ignore opinion. Progress cannot happen without some change.

In addition, if you are considering proposing changes to rates of fees charged to your customers, this time with Matthew is a good opportunity to have that discussion.

PREPARATION
To prepare for your meeting, please review the following items:
- year-to-date expenditures thru six months (July 1 to December 31), 
- projected year-end expenditures for twelve months of current fiscal year (July 1 thru June 30), 
- estimated annual expenditures for next budget year (July 1 to June 30), 
- facility needs for the next five to ten years, based on current circumstances
- personnel needs for the next five to ten years, based on current circumstances
- technology needs for the next five to ten years, based on current circumstances
- other critically important comments, concerns, issues, questions, suggestions, and thoughts

CONTACT ME
This reminder message is specifically for staff that may assist in the department’s budgeting processes. Please forward to other appropriate staff that may need to receive this message.

I am available for one on one discussion and will gladly assist you in any way necessary. We appreciate your time and cooperation with estimating total expenditures for both this year and next year and making other preparations for next year.