Schedule set for budget process

Town council approved the timetable for the 2008 municipal budget process Monday night, with a public meeting slated to kick things off on Monday, Sept. 17.
Citizens or organizations are encouraged to present council with their suggestions and comments on what municipal services and projects they want to see in the 2008 budget at that time.
Those wishing to make a presentation at that meeting are requested to contact Clerk Glenn Treftlin prior to noon on Thursday, Sept. 13.
He can be reached at 274-5323 ext. 236 or 257.
Documents or materials for distribution also should be filed with Treftlin at this time. A maximum of 10 minutes will be allotted per presentation.
After the public meeting, the town’s four executive committees will review the information received at various meetings during the week of Oct. 1-5.
The executive committees then will review their respective division budgets and recommendations from management in a series of meetings Nov. 9-23.
By Nov. 26, administration will present documents to Treasurer Laurie Witherspoon, who then will make a draft budget, which will be reviewed by the committee of the whole at a series of meetings through December, January, and February.
According to the timetable, the 2008 municipal budget should come before council for ratification at its Feb. 25, 2008 meeting.
A public meeting then is slated for March 10, 2008, at which time council is expected to explain the budget and subsequently pass it as a bylaw at its March 24 meeting.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•authorized the purchase of Fire Pro 2 software for the Fire and Rescue Service at a cost of $10,675 (to be funded with an unconditional grant from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services);
•approved CAO Mark McCaig’s purchase card expenses in the amount of $250;
•approved Mayor Roy Avis’ purchase card expenses in the amount of $63.57; and
•confirmed attendance at the 25th-annual Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association conference in Thunder Bay on Sept. 20-21 (Mayor Roy Avis, McCaig, and Couns. Tannis Drysdale and John Albanese will be attending).