In August, 2004, I was appointed to the Budget Committee. This committee of five was charged with reviewing the pilot two-year budget process, making a five-year analysis of the internal economic model, and to examine the long-term debt management policy of the corporation.
Over the years, I was reappointed in 2005 through 2008 and after that, to the Financial Advisory Committee until 2010. In 2005, I was elected chairman by the committee, a position I held until 2009. The committees were asked to look at long term debt management, review the allocation formulae, review the budget format several times, financial projections, and look at the effects of redeveloping downtown Columbia. The committees were asked to start keeping minutes in 2007 and those should all be linked in the related posts, below.
As an aside, it was my experience on the Budget Committee that spurred me into studying public financial management. I had even wanted to write my dissertation on predicting municipal bankruptcy, a project that grew straight out of our 2005 charge, where board member Phil Marcus had asked us to look at the Altman’s Z-score.
Columbia, Maryland, is a vibrant and growing community that has been a leader in urban planning and development for decades. Despite its many achievements, however,...
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The CA’s Financial Advisory Committee has completed its requested review of the CA’s proposed business plan. <p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;...
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The Financial Advisory Committee will meet tonight at the Columbia Association’s maintenance facility just off Snowden River Parkway.
Last night, the Columbia Association’s Financial Advisory Committee held its first meeting of the term and we introduced three new members. Those members have a...
The results are in and my opponent won with a vote of 206 to 164. The final results are reported as 301 to 164, due...
One of the comments I made in my candidate’s questionnaire for the Columbia Flier was that the new CA President needed to heal relations with...
The current issue of Public Administration Times contains an article called “Strategic ‘Greening’ for Municipal Park and Recreation Agencies” by Steven N. Waller. The...
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I am blogging for the University of Baltimore weekly until the beginning of May. This...
When I joined the CA’s Budget Committee in 2004, I was astonished to learn the budgetary process was mostly shrouded in mystery. Meetings were not...
This morning’s Baltimore Sun featured an article on this year’s CA election. It is delightful to be called young. Just to elaborate on some...
Everyone is invited to join the Facebook page for my candidacy. We will be organizing for the Long Reach community clean up there on...
Today, Fitch affirmed the CA’s AA credit rating. I am proud of the work the the Budget Committee has done to make this...
I love Columbia and I am proud to live here with my family. My wife and I plan to raise our children here because we...
I received this question recently, from a Long Reach resident: What are your views on village revitalization and the role that CA should play....
I am running for the Columbia Council Representative for Long Reach position.
The Financial Advisory Committee has returned three reports to the Columbia Association. This report explains why the FAC thinks it is inadvisable to maintain a...
The Financial Advisory Committee has returned three reports to the Columbia Association. This report explains why the FAC was unable to estimate the effects of...
The Financial Advisory Committee has returned three reports to the Columbia Association. This report explains FAC’s opinion of the proposed budget changes are. <p style="...
The Columbia Association’s Budget Committee will now been known as the Financial Advisory Committee.
The Budget Committee has released is report on the proposal to lower the assessment increase cap. You can download the report here.
The Budget Committee will be meeting to review and consider the proposed change in the assessment increase cap on April 2 and April 9...
The Columbia Association ought to consider establishing a Columbia-wide free wireless service for residents and visitors. Newer wireless technology, such as wireless mesh...
The Columbia Association’s Board of Directors has asked the Budget Committee to reassemble and look into the following: At this time, the PSC...
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Budget Advisory Committee Minutes January 30, 2008 Meeting In Attendance: Committee - Mary Chiu, James Howard, Roger Hultgren, Dan Woodruff Others - Patricia Laidig,...
As I mentioned before, William Erskine has created a blog for the Public Engagement in Land Use Planning Task Force. This blog posts...
The final reports for the Budget Committee were presented to the CA at a budget work session last night: The Capital and Operating...
The Budget Committee will wrap up its work this year with a final meeting scheduled for February 6, 2008 at 1830, and will present its...
Joseph R. Mitchell and David L. Stebenne, New City Upon a Hill: A History of Columbia, Maryland (Charleston, SC: History Press, 2007). The...
The Budget Committee meeting is on January 30, 2008 at 19:30, not January 31.
The Budget Committee meeting previously scheduled for January 23, 2008 has been rescheduled for January 31, 2008.
I have posted the minutes for the October 24th and November 28th Budget Committee minutes. November 28, 2007 Meeting October 24, 2007...
In Attendance: Committee - Mary Chiu, James Howard, Roger Hultgren, Dan Woodruff Others - None The meeting began at approximately 7:30pm. The agenda...
In Attendance: Committee - Mary Chiu, James Howard, Roger Hultgren, Dan Woodruff Others - None The meeting began at approximately 7:30pm. The agenda...
The Budget Committee has issued a letter to the Planning and Strategy Committee regarding its charges: 6 December 2007 Dear Ms. Broida, Given the...
I have posted a follow up letter to the Performance Oversight Committee of the Columbia Association regarding the revised non-disclosure agreement policy. The revised policy...
In attendance: Committee: Mary Chiu, James Howard, Roger Hultgren, Dan Woodruff Others: Phil Kirsch, Gail Broida and Joel Broida (CA Bd reps), Michelle Miller,...
In attendance: Committee: Mary Chiu, James Howard, Dan Woodruff Others: Jackie Felker (DS), Patricia Laidig (TC), Susan Smith (RH), Andy Stack (OB), Wendy Tauker...
In attendance: Committee: Mary Chiu, James Howard, Roger Hultgren, Dan Woodruff At 7:36pm, James Howard, as outgoing Chair from last year, called the...
The Columbia Association recently proposed subjecting all members of resident advisory committees to a broad non-disclosure agreement over confidential information. I submitted this...
The minutes of the February 7, 2007 Budget Committee were approved on August 22, 2007.
The Fiscal Year 2008 Columbia Budget Committee will begin operating on Wednesday, August 22. The committee will be meeting once per month: August...
This letter presents an overview of what priorities must be established when formulating non-financial performance metrics. The letter was sent to the Performance Oversight...
The Columbia Association’s Planning and Strategy Committee asked me to present at the May 10th meeting about non-financial performance metrics. The testimony is available...
Image by Scott Saghirian / Wikimedia.