City of Novi - Fiscally Fit?
UPDATED: 1/26/2012

Each month, the City of Novi publishes a list of expenditures. This list, about ten detailed pages long each month, contains the details of your City's expenditures.

On this page, we summarize what we consider to be discretionary, or questionable expenditures. This includes membership dues and conferences for staff, self promotion, employee tuition reimbursements,  and other expenses as detailed below.

January 2012  $ 105,551
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $5,663
  Self-promotion - $53,113
  Tuition reimbursement - $14,105
  Fuerst Park enhancements - $32,669

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NOVI'S DISCRETIONARY EXPENSES -
2011 YEAR-TO-DATE:  $885,347!

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December 2011 $ 40,838
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $3,077
  Self-promotion - $15,826
  Staff tuition refunds - $7,933
  Open administrative position filled -  $8,600 (estimated)
  Light-Up the Night - $3,315
  City Manager's trip to Japan - $2,087

November 2011  $ 42,587
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $13,739
  Self-promotion - $19,708
  Staff tuition refunds - $540
  Open administrative position filled -  $8,600 (estimated)

October  $ 37,165
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $12,866
  Self-promotion - $15,699
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)

September  $ 131,989
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $7,043
  Self-promotion - $12,259
  Staff tuition refunds - $6,076
  Fuerst Park enhancements - $98,011
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)

August 2011  $ 69,680
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $12,856
  Self-promotion - $45,848
  Staff tuition refunds - $2,376
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)

July 2011  $ 161,364
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $16,730
  Self-promotion - $17,206
  Fuerst Park enhancements - $109,817
  Staff tuition refunds - $8,011
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)
  Art exhibits - $1,000

June 2011  $ 80,583
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $7,395
  Self-promotion - $25,661
  Fuerst Park enhancements - $18,815
  Staff tuition refunds - $1,984
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)
  Alliance of Rogue Communities Agency Dues - $15,628
  Art exhibits - $2,500

May 2011  $ 52,501
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $14,105
  Self-promotion - $33,644
  Staff tuition refunds - $2,562
  Fuerst Park Phase II - $7,695
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)

April 2011  $ 60,165
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $14,830
  Self-promotion - $25,875
  Staff tuition refunds - $5,225
  Fuerst Park Phase II Design - $5,635
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)

March 2011  $41,131
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $15,176
  Self-promotion - $5,404
  Staff tuition refunds - $620
  Apple iPad for City Manager - $599
  Fuerst Park Phase II Design - $10,732
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)

February 2011  $99,536
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $14,570
  Self-promotion - $49,209
  Staff tuition refunds - $1,850
  Remodeling of meeting rooms - $24,041
  Direct TV - $1,266
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)

January 2011  $67,808
  Membership dues and conferences for staff - $13,956
  Self-promotion - $31,601
  Staff tuition refunds - $6,061
  Remodeling of meeting rooms - $7,390
  Swedish-American COC Membership for City Manager $200
  Open administrative position filled - $8,600 (estimated)

If you are aware of any expenditures we've missed, please email us.

* Novi's expenditures are reported to Council twice monthly. We summarize the information based on this cycle. Therefore, the information is updated prior to month-end in most months.

** In Novi, virtually all such expenditure decisions are made by administration. City Council approves the overall budget and some large capital expenditure items during the annual budget process, and changes to the budget if necessary during the year.

*** Self-promotion includes the City's website, ads, publications such as the City's calendar that are mailed out, dinners recognizing people, etc. Novi is a great city and people know that. We don't believe we need to spend this much advertising that fact.

**** Tuition is included here because so few organizations offer this benefit any more. However, much of this category is likely contractual.