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Nanaimo city council getting started this week on next budget

First of four budget-focused special finance and audit meetings will be held Wednesday, Nov. 23
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Residents are invited to participate in the City of Nanaimo’s next budget review process, which starts Wednesday, Nov. 23. (News Bulletin file photo)

Nanaimo’s new council is about to dive right into budget meetings, and residents are invited to provide input into the process.

The City of Nanaimo begins a series of budget-focused meetings this week and residents are invited to review the city’s draft financial plan and share their budget priorities during an e-town hall meeting in early December.

“This is the first budget of a new council term and public input is a vital component to this process. I encourage Nanaimo’s citizens to review the draft budget, view the budget presentations and join us at the e-town hall,” said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog in a press release.

In accordance with the B.C. Community Charter, municipalities must prepare a five-year financial plan each year and councils must adopt the five-year financial plan before adopting a property tax bylaw by May 15.

City council held its first finance and audit meeting of its new term Nov. 16 and Laura Mercer, the city’s director of financial services, gave councillors a ‘Finance 101’ presentation about the structure of the city’s finance department, the budget process, the regulatory framework and reserves policies.

“At any point in the year, we are working on a financial plan, whether it’s the current one or getting ready for the next one,” she said.

Councillors will review departmental budgets and project plans over four special finance and audit committee meetings Nov. 23, 24 and 30 and Dec. 1. All meetings are open to the public and will be held in the Vancouver Island Conference Centre’s Shaw Auditorium.

Then, on Dec. 5, there will be a budget-focused e-town hall meeting at 7 p.m., also at council chambers in the Shaw Auditorium. Residents will be able to participate in the e-town hall on the city website at www.nanaimo.ca/etownhall, via Twitter using the #NanaimoTH hashtag, in the e-town hall event at www.facebook.com/cityofnanaimo, by calling 250-755-4521 during business hours, or by attending the meeting.

A form has also been added to advertisements in the Nov. 16 and 30 issues of the Nanaimo News Bulletin, which residents can fill in and then mail or drop off at city hall.

The draft plan and other related documents will be available to review this week at www.nanaimo.ca/goto/budget. The budget meetings will be streamed on the city website at www.nanaimo.ca/meetings and will also be broadcast on Shaw Cable Channel 4 or BlueSky TV on 105.

READ ALSO: City of Nanaimo’s council sworn into office to start new term



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