City Budget
The City's annual budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 is available for review below. A hard copy is available at the reference desk on the second floor of the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St., Decatur, 30030 or at Decatur City Hall 509 N. McDonough Street, Decatur 30030.
The budget process for fiscal year 2010-2011 has just begun. Please look below for updates to the process. If you have budget related questions, contact Andrea Arnold, Assistant City Manager, at 404-370-4102 or andrea.arnold@decaturga.com.
Where We Are in the Budget Process
The City's budget preparation process begins in February culminating with budget adoption by the City Commission in June. Budget milestones will be listed below throughout the budget process.
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• May 17: Presentation of Budget to City Commission and adoption of Tentative 2010 millage rates
• June 7: Public Hearing on Budget and Millage Rate
• June 21: Public Hearing on Budget and Millage Rate
• June 21: Adoption of FY 2010-11 Budget and Revised 2009-10 Budget, and Adoption of Final 2010 millage rates
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Background
The City's charter requires the City Manager to prepare an annual budget on the basis of estimates submitted by the directors of departments and approved by the City Commission. The budget document is the result of months of planning. The budget allocates the City's limited financial resources to provide services based on organizational and community priorities. The resulting document becomes the plan that guides departments' operations throughout the fiscal year.
The budget period is the City's fiscal year, which begins on July 1 and ends on June 30. While budgeting is an ongoing process, departments officially submit budget requests to the City Manager, or her designee, the Administrative Services Director, in March. The budget is adopted by the City Commission on the third Monday in June.
Budget Focus Groups 
Each year the City invites residents to participate in the budget process through a budget focus group. The goal of the focus group meetings is to provide relevant budget and financial information in an informal environment so that participants can better understand the City's budget process, including how revenue and expenditure recommendations are made. The group meets once a month for three months beginning in March. The budget focus group's concerns and priorities have helped guide budget decision-making and prompted thoughtful budget discussions among City departments. If you would like more information on the upcoming budget focus group, please contact Andrea Arnold, Assistant City Manager, at 404-370-4102 or send an email.
Budget Schedule
February
- Budget memo and schedule to departments
- Department budget planning and preparation
March
- First meeting with budget focus group
- All department budget requests due
- Performance measures, CIP requests and strategic linkages due
- City Commission adopts billing ordinance
- Budget review with all departments
April
- Second meeting with budget focus group
- Personnel estimates and revenue projections due
- Revised budget changes due
May
- Preliminary budget complete
- Third meeting with budget focus group
- Presentation of budget to commission and adoption of tentative millage rate
- Public hearing ads published in legal organ
June
- Public hearings on budget and millage rate
- Adoption of budget and adoption of final millage rate
Strategic Planning and the Budget
In the fall of 1998 the City sponsored the Decatur Roundtables, a community forum that involved 500 community members. A report of key concerns and action teams developed from this process. This report and recommendations from the action teams guide many of the City's activities. Over 200 stakeholders helped develop a ten-year strategic plan based on the work of the Roundtables project. The strategic plan was completed in the summer of 2000. Three core principles emerged from the plan:
A. Manage Growth While Retaining Character
B. Encourage Community Interaction
C. Provide Quality Services Within Fiscal Limits
The plan identifies goals and specific tasks for each principle. The plan is reviewed annually in conjunction with the budget to ensure the budget supports the plan's principles and tasks and incorporates community input into the budget process. Within the budget process, each department submits examples of how department activities are linked to the strategic plan. A report listing departmental strategic linkages is included in an appendix to the budget.
Annual Budgets
Fiscal Year 2010-2011 (PDF)
FY10-11 Cover Page
FY10-11 Table of Contents
FY10-11 Budget Message
FY10-11 Department Narratives
FY10-11 General Fund Revenues and Expenditures Summary
Summary graphs
FY10-11 General Fund Revenue Detail
FY10-11 General Fund Expenditure Detail
FY10-11 Other Funds
FY10-11 Appendix A - Glossary
FY10-11 Appendix B - Budget Guide
Organizational Chart
FY10-11 Appendix C - Position Classification Plan
FY10-11 Appendix D - Demographic and Statistical Information
FY10-11 Appendix E - Financial Policies
FY10-11 Appendix F - 2010 Citizen Survey Results Summary
FY10-11 Proposed Budget (PDF, 12.9 MB)
Fiscal Year 2009-2010
FY09-10 Cover Page
FY09-10 Table of Contents
FY09-10 Budget Message
FY09-10 Department Narratives
FY09-10 General Fund Revenues and Expenditures Summary
Summary graphs
FY09-10 General Fund Revenue Detail
FY09-10 General Fund Expenditure Detail
FY09-10 Other Funds
FY09-10 Appendix A - Glossary
FY09-10 Appendix B - Budget Guide
Organizational Chart
FY09-10 Appendix C - Position Classification Plan
FY09-10 Appendix D - Demographic and Statistical Information
FY09-10 Appendix E - Financial Policies
FY09-10 Proposed Budget (PDF,12 MB)
Fiscal Year 2008-09
FY08-09 Table of Contents
FY08-09 Budget Message
FY08-09 Department Narratives
Overview
City Commission & City Manager's Office
Community & Economic Development Department
Active Living Divison and Children & Youth Services Division
Planning, Zoning & Inspections Division
Administrative Services Department
Fire & Rescue Department
Police Department
Public Works Department
Engineering Division
FY08-09 Revenues & Expenditures Summary
FY08-09 Revenue Detail
FY08-09 Expenditure Detail
FY08-09 Other Funds
FY08-09 Appendix A - Glossary
FY08-09 Appendix B - Budget Guide
FY08-09 Organizational Chart
FY08-09 Appendix C - Salary Survey
FY08-09 Appendix D - Position Classification Plan
FY08-09 Appendix E - Demographic & Statistical Information
FY08-09 Appendix F - Financial Policies
FY08-09 Appendix G - 2008 Citizen Survey Results
FY08-09 Budget (PDF, 16 MB)
Fiscal Year 2007-08
FY07-08 Proposed Budget (PDF, 17 MB)
Fiscal Year 2006-07
FY06-07 Budget Process
FY06-07 Proposed Budget (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2005-06
FY05-06 Budget Process
FY05-06 Adopted Budget (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2004-05
FY 04-05 Budget Process
FY 04-05 Adopted Budget (PDF)
Fiscal Year 2003-04
FY 03-04 Adopted Budget and FY 02-03 Revised Budget (PDF)
Audit
Each year all City funds, accounts, financial transactions and financial statements are audited by an independent certified public accountant. The comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) is available online.
CAFR FY 08-09 (PDF)
CAFR FY 07-08 (PDF)
CAFR FY 06-07 (PDF)
CAFR FY 05-06 (PDF)
CAFR FY 04-05 (PDF)
CAFR FY 03-04 (PDF)
CAFR FY 02-03 (PDF)
CAFR FY 01-02 (PDF)