After some late additions to the financial plan, Grand Forks city council passed third reading of the 2014-18 city financial plan bylaw 1996 at the regular city council meeting on April 7.The motion was brought forward by Coun.Patrick O’Doherty and seconded by Coun. Gary Smith.“I’d like to thank the administrator and staff for working on the financial plan,” said O’Doherty at the meeting.“It’s been one of the more understandable financial plans that I’ve seen,” added Mayor Brian Taylor.“It went very smoothly—time-frame wise.” Coun. Cher Wyers added, “Nothing was rushed.” The motion was carried unanimously.Staff have been preparing the plan since the fall of 2013. At the Jan. 27 Committee of the Whole (COTW) meeting, council heard staff presentations on the operating budgets of each department. The capital plan followed at COTW on Feb. 11.On Feb. 27 at the COTW, the entire financial plan was presented for public consultation. Council gave the first two readings to the plan on March 10. At the same meeting, council resolved to provide funding in the amount of $4,500 from the 2014 operating budget for the Boundary District Arts Council.    Council also resolved to provide increased funding to the art gallery in the amount of $12,000 from the operating budget. There is also $5,500 for the Head Start program that has been added to the operating budget.These three adjustments resulted in an additional $22,000 funded from surplus. In total, $72,000 is budgeted to be funded from surplus.The financial plan includes an increase of $2 per month to water fees which will be used to cover the cost of the watermain break which occurred in late February.According to section 165 of the community charter, a municipality must have a financial plan that is adopted annually, by bylaw, before the annual property tax bylaw is adopted.Section 197 of the community charter requires that each year after adoption of the financial plan but before May 15, a council must, by bylaw, impose property taxes for the year by establishing tax rates.Final reading and adoption of the financial plan is set for the regular city council on April 28.

Grand Forks Gazette