TRAVERSE CITY -- Tight economic times and new faces on the city commission triggered a more rigorous examination of the city's budget.
Commissioners spent the past three weeks scrutinizing numbers in the city's $14.8 million draft budget, which needs to be adopted by June 2.
"It happens this way when you have a number of commissioners who are newer, who haven't gone through the process and have a lot of questions," city Manager Richard Lewis said.
"With where things are with the economy, at this point the city commission is doing their due diligence as they should going through the budget and making sure every dime is justifiable," he said.
Lewis plans to put the budget, except a public improvements plan, on the May 19 meeting agenda for possible approval. The public improvements plan should be up for consideration on June 2.
Much of the questioning is coming from Mayor Michael Estes and Barbara Budros and Jim Carruthers, commissioners who were elected last November.
"We're trying to be very thorough and trying to do some of the things we talked about when we campaigned, which is saving the city more money ... " Budros said.
Many commissioners' questions appear to be resolved, but a host of issues will come back for review in the coming months, such as reducing legacy costs of retiree pensions and health care.
The city commission also will discuss plans for projects including an Old Town parking structure, bayfront plan implementation and parking on the west end of town.
"It's a little bit more in-depth investigation of the areas than probably I've seen previously, but a lot of the same concerns how the money is being spent and what we can do to decrease the cost, particularly in medical and pensions. That's the biggest area of concern right now," said Commissioner Ralph Soffredine.
Commissioners went through an unprecedented close review of Traverse City Light & Power's six-year capital improvements plan, which calls for nearly $9 million in projects next fiscal year.
But they later learned they can only approve or reject the most recent revisions to the plan, not projects like a previously approved transmission line upgrade or coal dock improvements.
Commissioners can still voice support or opposition to projects through their two representatives on the Light & Power board. Budros said she wants to continue researching the city charter about the issue of city authority over the utility's capital improvements plan.
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