Gravenhurst pushes back budget approval to April 2019

GRAVENHURST — Taxpayers here won’t have a sense of what it will cost them in 2019 to operate the town for almost another year.

New council will have time to absorb and make any changes to operating and capital budgets in 2019.

A lame duck council has voted to put off budget deliberations until next April.

The deadline to run for mayor and council is Friday July 27 at 2 p.m.

Each year, town staff brings forward a schedule for budget review and approval by council.

Normally, the capital budget is approved in December prior to the budget year, and the operating budget is approved in March of the same year, says the town in release Wednesday, July 18.

But with the municipal elections Oct. 22 and a new council term beginning in December, council unanimously approved to adjust the timeline for the next budget cycle.

The recommendation approved Tuesday night, July 17, will move the approval for the 2019 capital budget and multi-year plan until March 2019, in order to provide a little more time for a new council to absorb and consider decisions affecting the community. The 2019 operating budget will also be delayed until April 2019.

Budgets provide direction to staff on capital priorities and approve operational and strategic initiatives for the year planned by town administration.

A new Council may sometimes require a little more time to understand how municipal budgeting works, says the release, the policy implications inherent in the budget process and the mandate it provides to staff for the upcoming year.

The 2019 capital budget and multi-year plan will be tabled at council on Tuesday February 19, 2019 and the 2019 operating budget will be tabled at council on Tuesday March 19, 2019.

Changes to the budget have no impact on the property tax billing cycle.

The public can expect to see further details and advertisements about the 2019 budget following the municipal elections in October.

For further information, please contact: Val Sequeira, director of corporate services and chief financial officer at 705-687-3412, ext.252; or by email at val.sequeira@gravenhurst.ca