Council Concludes Its Budget Meetings

Prelim Schedule from Budget

Don Quixote Note:
Final adoption of budget bylaws must be completed by May 15, 2013 as required by the Community Charter.

The above schedule suggests that Council will give 3 readings to the bylaw at its Jan 28 meeting, then have a Public Input Session on Friday Feb 8. (Probably Tuesday Feb 12??) Any changes to the budgets occasioned by listening to the public's valued input at this session can be accommodated by making the changes, rescinding the original 3 readings  and re-passing the new 3 readings would happen at the Feb 25 Monday meeting of council (not the Friday Feb 22 date in schedule above) .  This would then delay adoption (final reading) until the March 11 meeting of Council.

The budget stands at a total 4.2% increase (a dedicated 1.9% increase for infrastructure & a 2.3% operating increase.) Council has not yet reviewed all the changes made to the budget for service level requests and revenue increases to ensure that there were no errors or omissions. The budgeting for the RCMP manning (although effectively extended to June 30) can not be finalized until after the Core Service Review is received on March 31. (This is a possible  further .8% tax increase - unless covered by reserves.) The Council has not yet examined the effect of this budget on the Business tax ratios and whether this will be changed . And Public input may yet be a change factor.

We have already given early budget approval for all projects and items  requested by the staff so they could go to pre-planning and tenders. 

As the budget (5 year financial plan) is not legally due until May 15, and early budget approvals are in place then it seems the final adoption should be delayed until after the core service review is complete.