Welcome to the new year  

This weekend,  I hope to see some of you at the celebration of former Councilmember Ann Chandler's life on Sunday and the Berkeley celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday. 

Ann was an advisor and mentor to me and so many others and we plan to sing and to celebrate everything she did for our community (program starts promptly at 1:15 on Sunday at the Freight and Salvage).

We will celebrate the challenges that Dr. King left for us, at a 7:30 breakfast on Monday at the Berkeley Doubletree and, yes, there will be singing.

The new year finds the City working on next year's budget - for the year beginning July 1.  On January 22 at 6 p.m., the City Manager will present the Fiscal Year 2014 and 2015 Budget Forecast. 

On February 19, the Auditor's Office will report on our own planned budget, the status of recommendations the City Manager has not yet implemented, and the results of our peer review.  The City Manager will report on the City's unfunded liabilities and plans to address them, the mid year budget update, and the Health, Housing & Community Services Budget Priorities. 

We currently have two performance audits in progress:

Permit Center

Objective:  Do the Planning Department's processes result in efficient and timely issuance of building permits?

Shelter Plus Care 

Objective:  Do the Housing Department's procedures and staffing ensure that Shelter Plus Care expenditures meet statutory and regulatory requirements?

Calling all Berkeley residents: Want to help make Berkeley better?  Community support helps identify audit issues and helps make sure City leaders take action on audits. May I call on you (or someone you know) as part of my diverse network of critical thinkers and problems solvers when an issue strikes your interest? Read more