Town of Battleford already starting budget planning

Oct 20, 2017 | 6:00 PM

While it’s only October, the Town of Battleford is already getting started on its planning work for its 2018 budget.

Mayor Ames Leslie said the town will have its first meeting later this month. It will also be working on its strategic planning.

“Administration and the departments have started to make their budget lists and started to look at budget for 2018,” said Leslie following council’s regular meeting Monday. “Council is going to get together to do a short-term, long-term strategy meeting, as well as start to discuss budget expectations and direction from what council thinks.”

He said council will also hear what administration and the management of each of the departments “feel their expectations and needs are” for 2018. 

The introductory budget planning meeting won’t be open to the public as essentially council will simply be getting together to start the discussions.  

Leslie said preparing the new budget is always a long process.

He added it’s council’s long-term goal to get the budgets completed in the December to January time-frame going forward.

In prior years it has taken to April or May before the town has finalized its new budget so council wants to get the project completed earlier from now on. 

“The goal of this council is to try to have our budgets approved before or not too far into the new year,” said Leslie.

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

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