Council meets to discuss budget

JOHN MOORHOUSE/Penticton Herald 03/29/2010
Penticton city council gets back to budget business today. A special budget session will be held at City Hall council chambers starting at 11 a.m. as council continues its deliberations which began in early February. Council is expected to decide on a number of remaining grant applications, including $20,000 for the SS Sicamous Restoration Society, $7,000 for a plan by the Veterans Association of Penticton to relocate the convention centre cenotaph to Memorial Park, and $2,000 of in-kind services for the Peach Classic triathlon. City treasurer Doug Leahy said the budget process is now nearing completion with only one or two more meetings likely to be held. An initial budget report called for total general revenue spending to increase by 1.6 per cent to $56.5 million this year from $55.6 million in 2009. However, council has yet to determine how large a tax increase may be required as it attempts to trim city expenses. The 2010 financial plan includes a $641,000 increase in protective services spending. Much of this reflects councilÕs decision last year to hire four additional firefighters and a second deputy fire chief. Because the added fire department staff was hired mid-way through 2009, the full funding impact now comes into effect. No additional RCMP officers will be hired. The city plans to spend more than $2.6 million on capital projects this year, including $1 million for road maintenance.