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Priority Based Budgeting
What is PBB?
Priority Based Budgeting is a way for us to look at our budget as we consider the services we provide to neighbors. PBB is a method in which we, as a city, can achieve financial health and wellness. We do this by identifying the role of government in Battle Creek.
This involves:
Click through the tabs below to see our current results and definitions, approved by the city commission in September 2021.
Priority Based Budgeting is a way for us to look at our budget as we consider the services we provide to neighbors. PBB is a method in which we, as a city, can achieve financial health and wellness. We do this by identifying the role of government in Battle Creek.
This involves:
- Determine results - "What are we in the business to do?"
- Clarify result definitions - "What do those results mean to us?"
- Identify programs and services - "What exactly do we do, and what does it cost?"
- Value programs based on results - "What is of the highest importance?"
- Allocate resources based on priorities - "What can we 'see' differently?"
Click through the tabs below to see our current results and definitions, approved by the city commission in September 2021.
Economy
The City of Battle Creek...
- creates a business-friendly environment that encourages business and economic growth for everyone.
- supports local businesses (including child care and the arts) by ensuring and supporting quality job creation, workforce training, and transportation that is equitable for all.
- collaborates to support the local workforce with quality housing, safety, transportation access, utilities, and access to basic needs for all.
- recruits, attracts, and retains a diverse mix of businesses.
- offers a vibrant downtown and commercial areas that are attractive to residents, visitors, and tourists.
- encourages and promotes sustainable development and redevelopment.
Safety
The City of Battle Creek...
- enforces laws fairly, justly, and equitably.
- supports feeling safe throughout the city - in your home, in your neighborhood, at your place of employment, in schools, downtown, and in commercial areas.
- prepares for and responds to emergencies, including life-threatening medical emergencies, fires, natural disasters, and epidemics.
- facilitates and supports safe travel through the city for all modes of transportation (including motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, rail, air, bus) - especially in downtown, commercial areas, and neighborhoods.
- is prepared to respond to all crises, whether it be through experiences of trauma, past and present, in collaboration with all available social support services.
- collaborates to ensure equitable fire response, fire prevention, and education.
- provides crime prevention and personal safety from violent crime for all.
Transportation and Mobility
The City of Battle Creek...
- provides a safe and accessible network of sidewalks, paths, trails, and bike lanes, making it easy to walk, bike, and move throughout the city.
- plans, designs, constructs, and maintains transportation infrastructure (including the airport, roads, bridges, sidewalks, traffic signals, signage, street lighting, and drainage).
- ensures the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists through the effective enforcement of traffic laws.
- makes it easy to access and use public transit.
Utilities
The City of Battle Creek...
- provides access to safe drinking water, and sanitary sewer services.
- provides storm drainage and infrastructure for effective storm water management, and education on reporting/management of misuse.
- collaborates to expand internet access.
- uses green energy sources and processes to reduce/offset utility costs to the community.
Environment, Physical Appearance, and Community Design
The City of Battle Creek...
- follows Battle Creek's Environmental Sustainability Plan to improve the quality of life for everyone.
- promotes practices that maintain clean and healthy air and water for everyday use.
- educates the community about recycling, waste reduction, and conservation impacts and learning experiences around diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- provides a safe, clean, and maintained environment and equipment that attracts both community members and visitors to amenities.
- maintains attractive community parks, corridors, gateways, public and community facilities, and streets, and applies conservation practices when applicable.
- offers desirable, quality neighborhoods with equitable development, accessible sidewalks and transit, and preserved historic sites, while promoting new development opportunities in line with the city's Master Plan.
Arts and Culture
The City of Battle Creek...
- encourages development of shopping, dining, and entertainment venues that are open to all.
- supports cultural, arts, and musical activities that are available to anyone.
- promotes diverse and inclusive events and venues for cultural enrichment and celebration.
- encourages collaboration, visibility, promotion, and support for the arts and culture, as well as adequate funding to support these activities.
Recreation
The City of Battle Creek...
- offers community and neighborhood parks, green spaces, access to waterways, and programs that are positioned to provide all people with an equal opportunity for leisure, and support of an active lifestyle.
- offers trails and paths that connect the community through a pedestrian and bicycle network that affords mobility for everyone to move freely throughout the entire community.
- offers recreation facilities and amenities that are equally maintained and accessible to all people, regardless of where they live or their abilities.
Governance
The City of Battle Creek...
- acts in an honest, accessible, open, and transparent way, and is engaging and responsive to its people.
- uses best practices in financial management, policies, and practices, while providing valuable services for the resources received.
- treats everyone fairly, equitably, and with respect, as well as communicates key information about issues that affect them in a timely manner.
- engages and collaborates with other government entities on regional issues, as well as with its community stakeholders to build a better tomorrow for everyone.
- hires a qualified workforce focused on service excellence, and that works toward planning and building a positive community future.
We have an interactive tool that shows the basic city program attributes or community results by department and scores.
You can choose to view this by department, and click on a program to find details about the program cost, staff positions, and operating cost.
This tool requires a login (the password is case sensitive):
Username: staff@battlecreekmi.gov
Password: Staffcobc