Penticton’s 2017 budget planning sessions won’t be taking place next week after all.
The budget talks, which were to start Jan. 24, were first scheduled for Nov. 22, 2016 but were delayed for two months in order to spend more time talking to the public and incorporate that feedback in the decision-making process.
More: Budget talks delayed in Penticton
Now they will take place at a yet-to-be-determined date in February. Peter Weeber, who took over as the city’s chief administrative officer earlier this month, said he needs more time to get up to speed.
“I am new to the organization and I need more time to work through the 2017 financial plan with the management team,” said Weeber. “I understand the delay may cause some inconvenience and I didn’t come to this decision lightly.”
More: Budget talks begin later this month
Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said having the budget delayed another three weeks shouldn’t be a hardship.
“In the past, we have done it in early spring,” said Jakubeit. “ I think we have to the end of April to do it, formally.”
Jakubeit said the city should be able to accommodate groups like the Penticton Art Gallery that rely on standing grants from the city as part of their budget.
“We will deal with that on a case by case, but for the most part, it shouldn’t really impact user groups or city operations,” said Jakubeit.
A copy of the draft five-year financial plan and a detailed agenda for the meetings was expected to be released today, but that has also been delayed.
In October, the city announced it is facing a $175 million infrastructure deficit, and the 2017 budget deliberations are expected to take into account the development of an asset management plan to deal with future infrastructure spending requirements.
During last year’s budget deliberations, city council voted to move away from the minimal tax increases seen in previous budgets, in order to deal with a growing structural deficit.
