The DeKalb City Council will discuss the 1988-89 budget proposal at a special meeting Wednesday.

City council members are scheduled to meet with the Finance Advisory Board to discuss new proposals and upcoming changes in the new city budget. This meeting will be the first of many meetings scheduled throughout the spring which will cover budget changes for next year.

City Manager Mark Stevens said, “This meeting is the first step in the budget-making process. It is more of a brainstorming session where the city council will be able to meet with the finance board and discuss priorities, changes and expectations.”

Second Ward Alderman Michael Welsh said, “What generally happens in these first meetings is something like a rap-session. We’ll have another meeting with the Finance Advisory Board in March and then a series of budget consideration meetings in May. Then the city council will go over the budget in June.”

Welsh also said, “It’s mostly a preliminary meeting where both parties will be able to voice their opinions on what they expect from the 1988-89 budget.”

Third Ward Alderman Bill Hanna said, “All of the first budget meetings basically introduce any changes or new proposals, but I don’t think any major changes are expected for this year.”

Fourth Ward Alderman Rita Tewksbury said, “Each department will formulate what they want from the new budget. All major staff departments will want to be in attendance to reassure that they get their share of the budget.”

Representatives from departments such as Public Works, Community Development, City Clerk, Economic Development and others will attend the meeting, she said.

Tewksbury also said she does not believe the 1988-89 budgets for particular departments will be increased as compared to the 1987-88 budget.

“We will try to keep it (budget) in our range without raising the taxes. I don’t think that anyone has it in mind to raise taxes for the budget,” she said.