Cottonwood Council to start budget process Tuesday

Work session set for 6 p.m.

COTTONWOOD — Tuesday, the Cottonwood Council is set to begin the longest continuous part of its annual cycle: the annual budget process.

Tuesday’s 6 p.m. work session, to be held in Council Chambers at 826 N. Main St. in Old Town Cottonwood, will include a review of the Fiscal 2020 budget and an outline of the Fiscal 2021 budget process. There will also be pre-budget department presentations by the City Council, city administration, the City Clerk, finance department, human resources, purchasing, the Municipal Court, Cottonwood Public Library and economic development.

The time-consuming budget process takes up several meetings during the spring of each year in Arizona local governments.

Throughout the summer and fall, Mayor Tim Elinski and other officials pointed out, during various public discussions of certain items, that the spring budget cycle is where many priorities are sorted out and departmental and project funding is determined.

At non-voting work sessions, such as the one scheduled for Tuesday, Council cannot approve expenditures, but can direct staff to prepare documents or provide statistics for upcoming meetings.

After Tuesday’s work session, the Council will be able to vote in a separate meeting that has a single agenda item.

Norris Design emerged as the first choice, through a bidding process, for a $96,000 contract to develop a wayfinding master plan. The cost will be paid by grants.