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All change requests were approached based on the notion of whether or not the request aligned with one of Council’s strategic priorities. Keeping these priorities in the forefront of all budget discussions is an important step towards achieving the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan. This is important for the City to be able to safeguard and sustain its future success and long term viability. EXPENSE REDUCTIONS – Historical Perspective To better understand the proposed 2018 budget, it’s important to understand how past budgets were compiled. New Brighton has remained agile and responsive in the wake of the economic recession of 2008. Responding to Council’s directives, city staff engaged in a variety of cost containing strategies that ensured operating budgets and tax levies were held flat or even reduced. The following is a list of implemented cost saving strategies with one strategy even being implemented before 2008.  New Brighton previously restructured to the public safety staffing model for delivering police, fire and emergency management services. This model essentially eliminates the need to employ a full-time Fire Chief; a position that would easily demand an annual salary of $100,000 not including benefits and other costs. With the passing of time, it’s easy to forget about these ongoing savings, but essentially, the City has saved $1.6 million in salary alone with the creation of the hybrid Public Safety Department.  Fleet, Non-Fleet, and Pavement Management is a Council adopted plan from 2010 and was readopted in 2012. The plan provides for cash funding of all of the assets listed in the program resulting in a $25 million plan over the next 20 years without any borrowing needed, aka bonded debt. This Fleet, Non- Fleet, and Pavement Management plan is now included in the City’s 10-year Capital Improvement Plan or CIP. Adherence to the CIP will mean that the Fleet, Non-Fleet, and Pavement Management Plan will continue to be funded without borrowing, but one of the goals of the CIP is to make bonding for streets by 2025 unnecessary.  In 2015, the senior leadership team was reorganized. This reorganization resulted in the reduction from five members of the Senior Leadership Team to four and also eliminated other positions so that dollars could be reallocated. The savings resulting from this organizational change was $167,000 with $116,500 of that directed towards providing better benefits for all staff in the wake of rising health insurance costs. The remaining portion of the savings was used to reduce the tax levy. It should be noted that in 2007, the Senior Leadership Team had six members. So methodically over time, the leadership team has been reduced by 2 FTE.  The Galecia Group is a private consulting firm that has developed a staffing ratio for IT. According to this formula, New Brighton should have five FTE in IT. New Brighton currently has two FTE in IT. This ongoing understaffing results in an ongoing savings of $150,000 per year in salary alone.  Management and the LELS Officers Union worked together to modernize the Police Union contract by eliminating the SELF Point Language in the contract. For each year of service beyond five years, each officer will cost $5,000 a year less than if the SELF Point System were still in place. NEW BRIGHTON – APPROACH TO SERVICES YESTERDAY and TODAY New Brighton considers alternatives in providing various services and has aggressively sought non-property tax revenues. New Brighton enters Joint Powers Agreements when needed or necessary, including:  New in 2016, New Brighton entered into a lease arrangement with the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and Upper Midwest Community Policing Institute. These two organizations now occupy a 2