Even though this must have been on the M&C's schedule for weeks, it was just added to the Public Notice page yesterday at around 10:30a. The draft was not published on the website until 5:30p giving citizens only 24 hours to review it. (even though the notice said that it would be available on 4/9).

We MUST have more transparency in government. The City should really be taken to task for waiting for the last minute to publish this one. If they had advertised it on 4/5 as they have told me, they could have at least put a notice on the bulletin boards before 4/24.

We can; We MUST do better.

We also must choose to use our city representatives time wisely and take them to task on issues that do not come down to arguing over minutes of a notice posting. It is required and we all know that but if you were so intent on getting it within seconds of it being posted then I suggest spending your entire day on the bulletin boards and let our city staff do their jobs.

You seem to have very strong opinions about this subject. I urge you to comment under your real name, as I do, so we can take your comments with the seriousness you deserve.

In response to your comment, burying a notice in the newspaper then sitting on it for twenty days before posting it to other Public Notice channels, while also refusing to post the draft budget, as advertised, until prodded by the public is either negligance or malice. Either way, they (city staff) dropped the ball on this one. And it has happened many times before.

The citizenry has an obligation to hold government to certain standards. Transparency in government is of utmost importance. Being informed of a meeting and gaining access to a 55 page document with twenty-four hours notice should scare everyone. I urge you to review this document. After all, it's your money too.

Dr. J is my real name. But the city is doing their job. After some research I found that they are not required to post a draft of the budget, only the final proposal and approved version. It seems that anything above this is going above and beyond to meet the special request of citizens.

We'll just have to agree to disagree. I expect more than the minimum requirements from anyone, and when someone says they're going to do something, I expect them to do it.

I don't think the Duluth Patch received notice of the work sessions, which it usually does. Also, was there a Citizens Budget Committee involved in providing input to the budget this year?