Wayne's Daily Updates: Monday February 14 2022 Update

Happy Monday! I hope you enjoyed the weekend and the Super Bowl! It didn't quite turn out the way I thought - I was the last place in our office predictions of the final winner and the margin of victory! I had more confidence in the underdogs than I should have - although it did come down to the final 2 minutes of the game....

And it is also Valentine's Day and mostly I hope you are showing appreciation for yourself along with your loved ones. Julie and I had fun assembling some Valentine's Day gifts for each of our grandkids this year just to help them remember how much they are loved.

As I mentioned earlier Julie had surgery at the end of last week. I appreciate your emails and good thoughts. She is doing well in her recovery; it will take several weeks to be back 100% for her, but she is making good progress.

So this week, we will be having a few guest hosts. John Borget will be hosting tomorrow, Jim Miguel on Wednesday and Gene Nelson on Thursday. I hope you enjoy getting a fresh perspective this week. I will be mostly working from home next week, so I will be back hosting the daily update on Monday.

UPCOMING CITY EVENTS

'Signatures' by Central Utah Ballet I February 15 7:30 pm

West Side Story and YA Utah Valley Symphony I February 17 - February 18

Sherma Andrews Concert I February 19 7:30 pm

Learn It: Dungeons and Dragons I February 22 7:00 pm

Lifehouse Performing Arts Academy Presents: It Started with a Mouse I February 22 - February 24

Best Books of 2021 I February 23 7:00 pm

MUOTeen 2022 I February 25 - February 26

No Pressure Book Club I March 1 7:00 pm

Coppelia by Utah Metropolitan Ballet I March 3 - March 5

Provo Women's Day I March 5

Provo Women's Day Y2K Afterparty I March 5 7:00 pm

More Than a Body with Lexie and Lindsay Kite I March 7 7:00 pm

Excellence in the Community presents: Mariachi Sol de Jalisco - tribute to Selena I March 14 7:30 pm

BYU Vocal Point I March 18 - March 19

Soundsation I March 15 7:00 pm

YOUR VOICE

Did you know that sharing your good news can increase your joy by 32%? Did you also know that 87% of all statistics are made up? Are either of those true? Who knows? But I do know that you should share your highlights with us!

UPLOAD PICTURES HERE!

NEWS YOU CAN USE

Today is Valentines Day, so take a few minutes today and share your appreciation for people you love! Today also marks another historical moment, so happy-first-woman-in-the-nation-to-vote day. Seraph Young cast her ballot in Salt Lake on her way to work on this day in 1870.
For those of you who missed the Super Bowl, the LA Rams won in the last quarter and the halftime show was spectacular. Especially for all of the millennials out there!
Rep. Birkeland's transgender athlete bill was on the docket for today in the House Health and Human Services committee.
Rep. Snow and Sen. McKay's bill to abolish the death penalty in Utah will be heard in the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice committee today as well.
Some Utah ski resorts are opposing a bill to end daylight saving time.

PROVO SOCIAL MEDIA

HOT-BUTTON ITEMS IN PROVO

Several years ago during our "Speed of Trust" years, we put a lot of focus on engaging employees in the budget process. Once we kind of got through the Great Recession, we implemented a number of changes based on our experience back then, but it is probably good to "pull back the curtain" and talk about our budget process a bit.

We get started in January of each year with a review of the first half of the fiscal year, looking at trends and issues we know are coming. In early February, we refine our revenue projections for all city funds and start to take a look at how our resources are lining up. Late February into early March, we are working primarily on personnel-related cost estimates that come from the city market study, health insurance and retirement cost estimates, expected turnover, anticipated merit increases, etc. Personnel costs are the largest single part of our city budget, with some departments' budgets being over 80% personnel.

Also during this time, departments prepare and submit their 5 year capital improvement plans which are given to the City Council at the beginning of March. Departments then submit budgets to Finance for their operating costs as well as their first year capital needs. We also receive what we call "supplemental requests," which include new programs, new positions, capital equipment needs, or anything that enhances the prior year budgets. All of those things are assembled and prepared for the Administration review. We then meet in March and April with departments to review their budgets and requests, and then the Mayor makes final decisions about what will be presented to the Council.

On the Council's side, March and April are times when departments come in and talk to the Council about their budgets, their priorities, things that are coming down the pike that need to be considered by the Council, and then respond to questions. Those are really helpful experiences that assist the Council in reviewing the budget once it is presented the first week in May.

May and June are the months when the Council reviews the budget, asks lots of questions and conducts public hearing. Final budget decisions are usually made around the 20th of June.

So - that's how it all works. It is a very grueling process for the elected officials, and we work hard to help them make good decisions that further the City's key goals for the coming year.