Budget Meeting #3 - Quesnel City Council

Courtesy of the City of Quesnel:

Quesnel City Council met for the third time on the budget to:

-Conduct the formal public input session.
-Review the Legislative, Community Support, and Fees for Service portions of the budget.

As of last night's meeting, a tax increase of 4.34% is being considered. Council will deal with a number of other budget items in March and April that may affect that increase, including:

-Setting tax rates for the various classes.
-Determining tax shifting between classes.
-Determining appropriate reserve allocations.

Dollar figures or percentages referred to in Budget 2012 news are subject to change and should not be considered final until the budget process is complete.

Public provides budget input

Council hosted the formal public input session, and while the gallery was far from full, some valuable input was received. One individual voiced his displeasure with the prospect of a tax increase and rising costs, while another said he was happy with the taxes he pays and thanked Council for their commitment to the job. Lastly, a representative from the Quesnel horseshoe Pitchers Club asked for help in sourcing a new lawnmower to maintain their grounds. That request was referred to future budget discussions.

Council approves legislative budget

Council reviewed their 2012 legislative budget, approving a number of changes. The budget for 2012 is $266,542, which includes $7,500 for Council training that was added this year.

That funding was split so that the Mayor and each Councillor received an additional $1,000 in their travel and training budget, with $500 added to the Council Lobby Travel account. Each Councillor now has a $5,000 allocation for travel, conferences and training.

The increase in Council's pay for 2012 is 2.4% ($340/year for each Councillor, $993 for the Mayor.)

Community supported in budget

Council also gave preliminary approval to a list of Community Support and "fee-for-service" items. These budgets are assigned to groups and organizations that provide a service or manage facilities on behalf of the City of Quesnel.

See full list of Community Support & "Fee-for-Service" here