In 1997, the Council entered into a budget limitation agreement with Bonneville that resulted in approximately $5 million of savings. Actions taken to accomplish these savings included reductions in force, elimination of vacant FTEs, reducing travel costs, slashing contract funding, cutting administrative costs and curtailing lower-priority activities.
In the current rate period, the Council again made a commitment to exercise fiscal restraint in developing its budget. In light of Bonneville's financial condition, the Council agreed to submit current level of service budgets capped at 2 percent growth. This will save another $1.1 million over the rate period. Additionally, we are freezing the number of FTEs in the Council budget while continuing to undertake additional work and responsibilities in the region, particularly in fish and wildlife recovery efforts.
These proposed budgets reflect current levels for staffing and contracting. The Council's Fiscal Year 2004 revised budget of $8,499,000 is $6,000 higher (0.08%) than the current year 2003 budget of $8,493,000. The proposed Fiscal Year 2005 budget of $8,689,000 is $190,000 higher (2.2%) than the revised Fiscal Year 2004 budget, reflecting personal services, cost-of-living adjustments and inflationary increases in the Council's other operating expenses, and office rent.
