Government Structure and Procedures

Government Structure and Procedures

 

City Government

The LWV of Beloit supports:

  • the council/manager form of city government.
  • a city manager or administrator who is hired by the city council on the basis of qualifications and experience, after publicly advertising the vacancy.
  • a city council elected at large on a non-partisan ballot.
  • a uniform code of ethics for elected officials, department heads, and commission members.
  • a method of appointing citizens to advisory boards and commissions which is as open as possible. All pending vacancies should be published, posted, and announced at Council meetings prior to the appointment, and all names submitted for appointments should be kept and considered for future vacancies.
            • (1995 - revised: Hansen, McCormick, Page, Pineles, Swannack)
            • (1990 - revised: Johnson, Carr, Schoenfield, Hansen, Bloedorn, Kepplinger, Page, Swannack, McCormick)
            • (1980 - Forbeck, Stoner)

SEE ALSO: Affirmative Action: Public Institutions in the SOCIAL POLICY SECTION

 

City Budget and Priority Setting Process

Recognizing that a properly developed budget not only reflects the activities, goals, and aspirations of an organization but is the very tool used to implement the planned accomplishments, the League of Women Voters of Beloit recommends that the City of Beloit use its budget planning process to reflect and achieve the city's goals. To this end, the League recommends a formalization of the process of long-range strategic planning for the city of Beloit through the development of a mission statement, goals, and objectives. This planning process should incorporate an assessment of the city's strengths and weaknesses and an analysis of the opportunities and threats facing the city. The framework thus developed must be reflected in the annual budgets to ensure that progress will be made toward achieving the city's mission and goals. Any long-range planning must be evaluated and revised as necessary; therefore, ongoing analysis and review of actual progress is required. Strategic planning should affect all areas of city government fiscal activity.

The LWV of Beloit recommends:

  • the formation of a special committee charged specifically with the responsibility of developing both long and short-range goals and objectives for the city of Beloit.
  • Committee members should represent a broad spectrum of community interests.
  • The committee should seek input from the city council, city manager, representatives from city offices and community members in developing an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the city of Beloit.
  • A mission statement providing direction for the city of Beloit should be established on the basis of the completed assessment.
  • Goals for the development of Beloit over a period of no less than ten years should be established from the mission statement and adopted by the council.
  • The list of goals and objectives should be revised and updated annually by the special committee.

The LWV of Beloit recommends:

  • the use of long and short-range goals and objectives for the city of Beloit as a basis for the development of the city budget.
  • on the basis of the long-range priorities each department of city government should develop departmental goals and annual objectives subject to review and approval by the city manager.
  • these departmental goals and annual objectives should justify departmental requests.
  • the special committee should annually review the city budget prior to its passage to determine if spending priorities are tied directly to the goals and objectives of the city.
  • justification of budgeted expenditures by evaluation of services provided rather than total dollars spent or saved.
  • quarterly review by the administration of actual expenditures in comparison to the adopted budget to be publicly discussed during a regular council meeting.
  • quarterly public review of the General Fund balance to determine its adequacy.
  • prompt response to the recommendations of authorized or commissioned studies by including in each study a timetable for prompt public review of its recommendations and ongoing assessment of implementation.

The LWV of Beloit endorses:

  • the Capital Improvements Program format and process of development as initiated in 1986 with the inclusion of the following recommendations:
  • inclusion of the full five-year capital program of estimated expenditures so that long-range needs can be examined and appropriate fiscal policies developed.
  • inclusion in the Capital Improvements Program budget report of the balance remaining from prior years' appropriations.
  • annual review of the proposed Capital Improvements Program budget by a citizens' committee, such as the City Plan Commission.
  • approval of the Capital Improvements Program prior to development of the operating budget so that administrative and operating costs implementing the capital improvements can be budgeted and so that the Capital Improvement Program sums can be incorporated into the operating budget for a comprehensive understanding of total expenditures during the coming year.
  • incorporating criteria into the point rating system which provides justification of proposed expenditures on the basis of the city's goals and objectives.

The LWV of Beloit supports:

  • efforts to encourage input from citizens in the budget development process by such actions as:
  • timely publication and public distribution of the budget preparation schedules for the operating budget and the Capital Improvements Program.
  • development of a mailing list of citizen groups who would receive the operating budget and Capital Improvement Program preparation schedules, a summary list of proposed expenditures, and a clear explanation of how citizens can provide input into the budget development process. These documents should be available to any citizen who requests them.
  • scheduling the operating budget hearing no later than the first two weeks of November and early presentation of the budget to the council so there is adequate time for public review prior to adoption.

DEFINITIONS: Mission Statement: broad philosophical sentence i.e., "provide the best service at the least cost to the customer" Goals: narrower statement i.e., "ensure that service staff is well trained" Objectives: measurable i.e., "each staff member will have a minimum of 60 hours of training per year" and/or "staff members who are not certified will obtain the appropriate license within 6 months of their date of hire"

            • (1986 - Bloedorn, Hansen, Metter, Pineles, Schoenfield, Williams)

 

Zoning

The LWV of Beloit supports:

  • a zoning ordinance that maintains stability of property and land use while allowing a measure of flexibility to meet the needs of changing situations.
  • a zoning/re-zoning process that is predictable so it is not subject to frequent changes arising from individual circumstances.
  • a zoning ordinance and process that is accessible and responsive to all citizens regardless of their education or socioeconomic background.

The LWV of Beloit supports:

  • periodic review of the zoning ordinance in an objective manner so as to avoid zoning decisions based on individual personalities and circumstances.

The LWV of Beloit continues to support:

  • the clearly written and organized text of the zoning ordinance allowing the average citizen to understand its regulations and procedures.
  • including in the text of the ordinance such features as a table of contents, an index, charts and graphs as visual aids to explain the ordinance, illustrations within the text that are appropriate to the ordinance as well as to local conditions

The LWV of Beloit recommends:

  • a step-by-step procedure or flow-chart of the rezoning process.
  • that the city administrative staff be accessible and responsive to citizens.
  • (The responsibility to listen to citizens and serve their needs with tact and diplomacy even if they disagree with administrative decisions should either be expected of all city officers or delegated specifically to a citizen advocate liaison on staff.)
  • that brochures or printed information from the ordinances describing the zoning/rezoning process be made available to the public.
  • the continued inclusion in the ordinance of detailed textual descriptions of zoning procedures.
  • that the zoning ordinance add a chapter with ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ to help citizens find answers.

The LWV of Beloit supports:

  • similarity of land use within zoning categories, minimizing the disparity between least desirable and most desirable land uses within a classification.

The LWV of Beloit supports:

  • similarity of land use within zoning categories, minimizing the disparity between least desirable and most desirable land uses within a classification.
  • extending the designated area near a proposed zoning change within which written notification of property owners is required. The current notification is within 150 feet. (Such notification should be timely and include the time, date and location of the initial hearing, information regarding the rezoning process, and whom to contact for more information. NOTE: Janesville requires notification of all property owners within 400 feet.)
  • a time limit between reapplication for zoning change or conditional use that is no less than one year.

The LWV of Beloit supports:

  • promoting citizen confidence in property values by consistent and persistent enforcement of the zoning ordinance by administrative initiative in addition to citizen complaints. (The zoning officer shall be responsible for enforcing the ordinance.)

The LWV of Beloit supports a plan commission that is:

  • advised by the administrative planning staff
  • advisory to the city council, and
  • guided by proper planning standards.
  • composed of members broadly representative of the diversity of Beloit's population
  • avoids over representation by any one interest group and includes a council member as direct liaison to the city council.
  • training for new plan commission members which includes timely orientation by the planning staff as well as attendance at state, regional, and/or national conferences.
  • maintaining a planning staff sufficient to plan and implement special projects and provide for the day-to-day planning needs of Beloit. 
            • (2013-Schoenfield, M. Moffett, Beverly Bond)
            • (1984 - Schoenfield, FitzGerald-Fleck, Ryan, Williams)

 

County Administrator

The Beloit and Janesville LWV's support:

  • the office of County Administrator because of the professional qualifications the position requires and because it can be a unifying factor for the rural, Janesville and Beloit segments represented on the County Board.
            • (1988 - revised) (1985 - revised) (l976 - Stoner)