City welcomes resident participation in budget planning process

• The CBWG is a group of passionate Sedona residents and business owners who are willing to volunteer a significant amount of their time to learn about and participate in the development of the annual budget.
• The CBWG reviews information and makes recommendations, specifically regarding community service provider contracts, and requests for new or increased funding.
• The CBWG provides staff, the City Manager and the City Council an additional means of insight into community concerns and priorities.

What the CBWG is not:

• The CBWG does not review the entirety of the City’s budget. Base budgets, or the amount of funding required to provide a consistent level of service, are reviewed by staff and the City Manager.
• The CBWG is not a decision-making body. The recommendations of the group are considered by the City Manager and the City Council in the development of the budget.
• The CBWG does not set new priorities.

The work of the CBWG culminates with recommendations summarized for the City Manager and City Council that enable more informed decision-making.

How to apply
City of Sedona residents interested in participating in this year’s work group must apply before end of day on Dec, 8, 2025, by contacting Public Relations Analyst Kegn Hall via email at khall@sedonaaz.gov or via phone at 928-203-5179. Interested applicants mCity welcomes resident participation in budget planning process

SEDONA, Ariz. – The city of Sedona encourages residents with background and expertise in financial management to apply for the Citizen Budget Work Group (CBWG) to serve as a citizen sounding board during the upcoming annual budget process for Fiscal Year (FY) 2027. Residents with experience participating on city boards, commissions, councils and work groups, and in Citizens Academy are preferred.

The group of up to nine volunteers must be able to attend four of the five required meetings between December 2025 and April 2026 and are encouraged (but not required) to attend City Council planning meetings as well if their schedule allows. See the tentative schedule below with both required and optional meetings:

• Dec. 15, 2025, full day (required): Introduction: discussion of roles, responsibilities and expectations. City staff will give a high-level explanation of the budget, and answer questions about the process.
• Dec. 17 – 18, 2025, two full days (optional): City Council Retreat. Members of the CBWG are encouraged to attend the second and third day of the City Council retreat to get an overview of Council’s priorities for the coming FY. This information will help to provide context for discussion of proposed budget items.
• Jan. 14, 2026, 1 – 6 p.m. (optional): Economic update and capital improvement projects discussion at the City Council meeting.
• Jan. 15, 2026, full day (required): The CBWG will discuss the Council Retreat and the Jan. 14, 2026 update and capital projects City Council meeting.
• Feb. 4, 2026, full day (required): Review of the community service provider contracts. These contracts have a three-year term and must be renegotiated for FY 2027. The CBWG will review proposed services and costs, and the group’s recommendations will be considered by the City Manager.
• Feb. 11, 2026, 2 – 6 p.m. (optional): Preview of staff decision packages with City Council. City staff will give a preliminary presentation of decision packages and requests from departments for additional or new funding for the upcoming budget year.
• Feb. 12, 2026, full day (required): Decision Package review. Department directors and staff will present decision packages to the CBWG. The group will have the opportunity to review and ask questions about each request.
• Feb. 17, 2016, full day (required): CBWG formulates decision package recommendations. The CBWG will discuss the decision packages and formulate their recommendations for the City Manager and City Council.
• April 15, 2026, 1 – 6 p.m. (optional): City Council budget work session and presentation of CBWG recommendations. While attendance at this meeting is not required, at least one member of the CBWG must attend to present the group’s recommendations to City Council.
• April 22 – 23, 2026 full days but can attend for any period of time (optional): Council budget work sessions. CBWG members may attend the work sessions to understand how the City Manager and City Council incorporate recommendations into the proposed budget.
• May 26, 2026, typically a two-hour meeting (optional): City Council adoption of Tentative Budget.

June 23, 2026, typically not more than a two-hour must share with Hall their address, any relevant finance background information and why they’re interested in serving on the CBWG.