The Budget Task Force was created and appointed by the City Commission in January, 2008 to evaluate the City of Delray Beach budget as well as actual revenue and expenditure activity and make observations and recommendations to increase revenues, reduce expenses, or improve productivity and efficiency. 

The Budget Task Force is a seven (7) member citizen task force with two (2) alternate members, all appointed by the City Commission.  Alternate members participate in all discussions but may vote only upon the absence of a regular committee member.   This Task Force was supplemented with staff support from Joseph Safford (Finance Director), Lisa Herrmann (Budget Administrator), and Becky O'Connor (Treasurer) as well as other clerical support.  The recording and preparation of meeting minutes, agendas and additional staff support was provided by Karen Schell (Pension Administrator). All agendas and minutes are posted on the City website.  Meetings were initially bi-weekly meetings lasting approximately two (2) hours each meeting.  This schedule was changed in July, 2008 to monthly meetings when the Budget Task Force original expiration date was changed from December, 2008 to July 31, 2009.

The Budget Task Force reviewed the FY 2007-08 budget and the FY 2008-09 budget (Detail Budget) document as well as calendar year actual payroll statistics and the actual revenue and expenditure activity.  The detail budget review consisted primarily of the departmental requests.  In some cases the City Manager reduced the departmental requests but the details of these cuts were not disclosed in detail so the Budget Task Force analyzed the departmental requests as originally documented.