Unalaska, AK – The city council will meet Monday and Tuesday evenings to discuss the city's fiscal year 2011 budget. The council's goals for this year are to not create any new authorized positions and to not increase the operating budgets. Finance Director Tonya Miller said keeping operating budgets steady for one year is a doable goal.

"The departments have really tried to meet those goals and if they haven't met those goals then they have explained that to the city manager and are comfortable with bringing it forward to ask council."

Miller said the entire city budget is about $45 to $50 million each year. The general fund and some of the enterprise funds completely cover their own operating budgets. Other funds, like wastewater and the airport, get supplements from the general fund. Some years, though, are exceptions.

"What we have had in the past is we've had huge transfers over for capital projects, and the general fund operations for a year do not always cover transfers going out. But overall, the city's financial health is really, really good."

Miller said they are trying to rein the budget in as a whole because of major capital projects. The fiscal year 2010 budget was already adjusted to account for two of those - the Carl E. Moses Boat Harbor and the PCR expansion. Council voted to fund both of those projects out of pocket, which will put a significant draw on the general fund, but Miller said the city will be fine financially despite that.

The council will meet Monday at 5:30 pm to discuss the operating budgets for each department, including requests for new employees. Tuesday at 5:30 pm they will discuss capital projects and non-profit funding. The meetings are open to the public and will take place at city hall.