HUMBOLDT — Only one change has been made by councillors to the city’s proposed budget.
There will be an extra $5,000 for those wanting to set up a Communities in Bloom for the city.
The budget would still require around a 1.8 per cent increase in property tax levies
The city had stopped doing Communities in Bloom due to a lack of interest from volunteers. Michael Ulriksen, the community and leisure services director, told council he’s happy to support such an organization, but it has to be driven by local citizens, not by city employees.
Michael Behiel, Humboldt’s mayor, said during the Dec. 7 budget meeting there is demand for it.
“I’ve had quite a few citizens again approaching me, asking, ‘why did this stop? We would have volunteered our time,’” he said.
The proposal is expecting to generate more than $16.5 million in revenues in 2021 and spend around $13.0 million in operating expenses, leaving approximately $3.7 million for debt repayment and reserve contributions.
“The positive momentum that the city has been on is continuing, even though this past year has had many challenges,” Behiel said in a release. “After careful consideration, and hard work by administration and council, we are able to maintain a balance of the services that the city provides without sacrificing programs or placing a burden on taxpayers. For 2021, we’re actually doing capital purchases and infrastructure repairs for $3.15 million, which is fantastic.”
The Humboldt Journal is working on a more detailed look at the passed budget.
