County of Kings operating budget deliberations getting another look

Kings County councillors had at least one more session to deliberate the proposed operating budget before approving the document.

Mayor Peter Muttart said council was to discuss the operating budget again at the May 16 committee of the whole session. He said hopefully the proposed budget would be finalized and councillors would make a recommendation for final approval. The discussion will take place following the regular agenda.

Council held a special meeting on April 18 to approve the operating and capital budgets for the 2017-2018 fiscal year. Council approved the capital budget totalling $4,292,000 but not the operating budget.

Coun. Jim Winsor made a motion to defer approval until council’s committee of the whole has completed its deliberations with the date to be determined. The motion carried.

Following the special meeting, Muttart said some councillors felt that some grant funding requests hadn’t received as much discussion as is warranted. Perhaps some of the requests had been misinterpreted or applicants hadn’t been asked to expand on what it is they intend to do if they receive the funding.

The proposed operating budget is balanced at $45,753,100. The proposed residential and resource tax rate is $0.853 per $100 of assessed property value while the proposed commercial rate is $2.287 per $100 of assessed value.