The Office of Community Involvement today issued guidelines for its volunteer budget committees designed to strengthen the process and outcomes of this collaboration.
Community Budget Advisory Committees (CBACs) are community members who review and make recommendations on individual County departmental budgets. There are ten committees, one for each Multnomah County department. One member from each committee serves on a Central Community Budget Committee that is charged with making county-wide recommendations to the Chair.
Unlike members of an audit or oversight committee, the CBAC members are community advisors who bring community needs and priorities into the department budget planning process.
CBAC volunteers meet with department directors and other staff to hear directly about the programs and services in a process that is set by the department and follows the County budget timeline. Together, committee members respond to how Multnomah County plans to use its resources to serve the community.
The guidelines create a common language for volunteers and staff to work together It clarifies and confirms roles, and the scope of work for advisors.
The Office of Community also proposes launching a process to review, and make recommendations for improving engagement by July 2024.
JR Lilly, director of the Office of Community Involvement said to achieve the County’s goals of achieving justice and equity as program outcomes, requires us to strive for justice and equity as part of the process.
“We create better solutions when we involve the community in all our processes,’’ Lilly said.
”The community are subject-matter experts on so many of our programs and their perspective in the budget process is critical to understanding how budget line-items impact the real world. Whether it be through CBAC meetings, budget listening sessions, a Board Meeting public comment, or an email/phone call, the community's voice matters and we need to hear from everyone.”
“I am looking forward to the community’s continued participation in our collective civic duty around this and future budgets."
The County’s Budget key dates for the FY 2025 Budget engagement process:
- Dec. 12, 2023: County Budget kickoff; and Departments start to convene their CBAC
- Feb. 12, 2024: Department Program Offers due and OCI convenes the Central CBAC
- April 25, 2024: Chair releases proposed Budget and CBAC letters are due to the Office of Community Involvement
- April 30, 2024: Budget work sessions begin; CBAC presentations at Department work sessions
- June 6,2024: Board of County Commissioners adopts Budget; CBAC process concludes with the adoption of the Budget
The guidelines for the FY2025 Budget Engagement Process as follows:
1) The CBAC and Central CBAC’s primary purpose is to provide community feedback on the budgets (program offers) being proposed by respective departments.
2) Multnomah County staff will be responsible for providing the details of their budget to CBAC and Central CBAC Members to help them make informed recommendations to the Board. Members are welcome to request additional information, and staff will strive to accommodate requests, depending on capacity and relevance.
3) County staff are responsible for official communication, meeting logistics, scheduling, and agendas. County staff will schedule, notice, and assure compliance with public meeting law requirements. County Staff will work with CBAC Members with these responsibilities.
4) The CBAC and Central CBAC run on an annual basis alongside the County Budget Process. Budget committees will begin work when the Executive budget is approved, and concludes upon adoption of the budget by the Board. The guidelines are there to help the departments manage their CBACs. Each department still has the ability to decide when their CBACs will start. This year, of the 10 CBACs some have already started meeting and some are starting to meet this month. This allows for the flexibility for everyone to manage their process for what is best for their staff capacity.
5) The CBAC and Central CBAC will receive scope of work and guidance from the Office of Community Involvement. The respective departments will be responsible for managing them (planning meetings, providing education, communication, etc.). They will help the CBAC members complete their scope of work (letter and presentation). The Office will be available to support department staff as needed during this process.
You can read more about the CBACs and how to take part here.
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