The Albert Lea City Council is looking at the budget in a different way this year: along side department heads.

&uot;In the past we’d just meet with Paul (Sparks),&uot; said City Councilor George Marin. &uot;This year, we are going to meet with the different department heads to see how the budget actually affects their departments.&uot;

The change in the budget process was first discussed at the council’s retreat in February. Some councilors wanted to have more details on the funding needs of departments and how they use their funding.

&uot;I think it should give the council a little more background,&uot; Sparks, the city manager, said. &uot;I don’t think it will be a dominant feature in the budget meetings.&uot;

Sparks said the department heads will likely not be too involved in the meetings unless small details are needed in looking at funding. But he said these details can be important in mapping out what is important to the city.

&uot;There’s always a need to know the consequences of what the cut might do or the change that might come because of it,&uot; Sparks said.

Sparks has been very clear that city council members should not give orders to city employees because it can create awkward environments for employees when seven different people set seven different standards. But he thinks having the department heads at budget hearings won’t cross that line.

During the past year the council has met with the heads of the fire, library, public works and parks and recreation departments, but may still meet with others such as the finance and police departments.

They are likely to meet again with most or all of them through their meetings in September.

Marin is hoping to get a better idea of how each department is run.

&uot;I’m excited about having what I feel will be better clarification of how these things work,&uot; he said. &uot;Who can better explain these things than the department heads?&uot;

&uot;It will differ greatly from how it was done in the past,&uot; he added.

(Contact Peter Cox at peter.cox @albertleatribune.com or 379-3439.)