New data-driven plan will guide Missoula’s budgeting process
Martin Kidston
(Missoula Current) With another budget season looming, the City of Missoula is updating its strategic plan in a push toward data and results when making financial decisions on an increasingly tight budget.
Mayor Andrea Davis on Wednesday said the plan will serve as the framework for budget development. It will also guide departments through their individual budgeting process and requests.
She described the plan as a step toward performance-based budgeting.
“By shifting the focus from expenditures to outcomes, we can focus not only on what we purchase, but what those purchases accomplish,” Davis said. “During times of limited resources, the plan becomes an essential decision-making tool across all departments, helping identify which projects, programs and staffing should receive priority.”
The city updates its strategic plan every few years and uses the process to lay out goals and priorities. The last update occurred under the guidance of former Mayor John Engen. When Davis was elected to finish Engen's final term, she opted to wait to update the strategic plan.
But after the last election, Davis moved forward with the current update. Doing so was a priority during her campaign.
“The plan really serves as the guiding framework for budget development by identifying key outcomes the city seeks to achieve,” Davis said. “The departments use these priorities to justify budget requests that directly contribute to the desired results.”
The new plan leans on several pillars and emphasizes transparency, accountability and measurable results. It includes nearly 45 tools used to measure outcomes.
The city will kick off its budgeting process later this year under the guidance of the new plan.
“This represents a transition for the city in terms of data-driven decision making and a results-oriented culture,” said Eric Hallstrom, the city's chief operations officer. “This is really a milestone for us moving forward. It represents meaningful change for the city.”