The City Budget

[James Younger]

Chris Sholberg stated at a meeting recently that our project was on hold. We could not get the $30,000 budget required that was promised to us. So the plan was put on hold for 3 or 4 months.
The point is that he said " the new council is going threw the budget line by line to make cuts were they can."
We can also see cost saving by changing council/committee meetings in the board room at city hall. These are to start at 2:30 not at 4:30pm on a trial basis. To stop paying staff overtime wages as the meetings start after work hours.
This looks like cost saving measures to me and that is good, lets hope it continues. Has anyone else heard of other new cost saving measures adopted by the new council?

[Smokey©]

Chris Sholberg stated at a meeting recently that our project was on hold. We could not get the $30,000 budget required that was promised to us. So the plan was put on hold for 3 or 4 months.

Which project is the one you are referring to, when you say " our project was put on hold"?

[Tenspot]

A suggestion. Freeze the Parks & Recreation budget, and charge P & R for all snow removal pertaining to their facilities. If the money gets short in their budget as a result, lay off some of the excess staff that is in that Department.
P& R must have the single largest allocation of all depts.

<OK, more than Public Works, but not as much as the "Overhead".

[James Younger]

http://www.troymedia.com/NewsBeats/M.../TMC110308.htm
financial information from Ron Bolin
Top of page on the right is city by city comparison in a 124 page report page 75 is Nanaimo

[Smokey©]

The largest allocation of all departments are in this order starting from the largest to smallest.

☻Community Safety $27.8 Million
☻Corporate Services $27.5 Million
☻Parks and Recreation and Culture $23.7 Million
☻Public Works $23.3 Million
☻Development Services $9.7 Million
☻Interest and exchange payments on debt $2.0 Million
☻Contingency $1.5 Million
☻Administration $.75 Million

[James Younger]

The project is the South End Community Association is already to start a Neighbourhood Plan with the city. We were told all projects were put on hold while the budget is gone over line by line. This will take a group of people a lengthy time commitment as this SECA project will develop over the course of its inception threw to the first phase of the as yet unknown plan.
This is a group. HA HA

[titan5]

According to a recent study, the City of Nanaimo receives a better than average grade in financial accountability.

Bulletin story here: http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver.../37351354.html

Full report here:
http://www.troymedia.com/Reports/FCP...Index-2008.pdf

[James Younger]

Toby Gorman use the document I posted above for his article. That is not how I read it Titan5.
REPORTING STANDARS JUDGED OUT OF 7
General accountability standards 4.0
Appropriate compliance 4.6
Total financial disclosure assessment 3.2

This is a fail of two of three the third just passing under the 3.5 mark
Also it says that [any example] 4.0 the .0 could be higher maybe 0.9 that is not good general accountability could be 4.9 and that can really change things.
Low is good above 3.5 is a fail.
It is the non-core expenditures up 67.2% from the year before that is a concern as many cities are at 0%
The numbers game is hard to get a good Handel on that is why Ron Bolin gave the information to me so that others could see problems with it to help council be more accountable.
At this point in time I feel that the new council will try harder to be more accountable.

[James Younger]

The city has opened a BUDGET FORUM on their website. Ask a budget question and get an answer. Also they post the answers.
That is a good start this may have come about because of this forum as it is read by city hall staff. Open and accountable.

[Tenspot]

One of Obama's first edicts was that anyone in his Administration earning 100k or more has their salaries frozen. NO RAISES for the duration of his Presidency!!!!!! These are important people. Hopefully Nanaimo Council will include the same in our next budget.