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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY FEBRUARY 12, 12, 2014 2014 WEDNESDAY,
$1.10 $1.10(includes (includestax) tax)
BUDGET TIME
• Feb. 24 COW meeting: Financial plan schedule review with council. • March 10 COW workshop: Budget presentation, revised draft version. • March 24 Open council meeting: First, second and third reading of financial plan bylaw. • April 7 Open council meeting: Adopt financial plan bylaw. • May 15 Audited financial statements must be completed and presented to the province. Source: City of Grand Forks
VOL 117 NO. 6 7
Bruins drop two in playoff hunt Page 17
City begins building budget CRAIG LINDSAY
Grand Forks Gazette
The breadth and width of the city’s budget will be rolled out for public input and viewing over the next two months. The City of Grand Forks council is in the process of putting together the budget for 2014, starting with the committee of the whole meeting (COW) on Tuesday, Feb. 11. During that meeting city staff gave a capital budget
presentation to council, identifying prioritization of capital items presented by city management and the direction of new capital items coming from council. “We divide it into the operating budget and the capital budget,” said Roxanne Shepherd, city chief financial officer. “At the last committee of the whole meeting (Jan. 27), we presented the initial operating plan for the year (2014). On Tuesday, we presented the initial capital pre-
sentation.” On Monday, Feb. 24, the city will have an open house with an early draft of the budget ready for input from the public. Shepherd said early on in the process the budget looks good but staff will have to take into account things such as increased postage costs, increased insurance rates due to the fire, as well as the realignment of several departments. “We’re doing well,” she said. “We came in under
budget this year. “Many of the things we wanted to do in 2013 we got done. We got a lot accomplished and came in under budget so I think it looks good.” Some of the more expensive projects the city undertook last year were the downtown beautification project, asset management project alignment, TransCanada Trail project and Boundary storm sewer.
• See BUDGET, Page 24
SUN, ICE AND FISH
PHIL
THISTLE POT GIFTS
337 Market Ave. Grand Forks, BC V0H 1H0 250.442.1214 U.S. Pat. No. 7,007,507 • © 2013 Pandora Jewelry, LLC All rights reserved • PANDORA.NET
THATE
Valley Heights Developments Inc. Come and see what we’ve done to the Granby Building
See page 8 for details
$ PEND &
$ AVE
Craig Lindsay photos
All kinds of folks hit the ice at Wilgress Lake for the annual Ice Fishing Derby on Family Day weekend. With over $3,000 in prizes, it’s no surprise there was a great turnout of families, friends and solo fisher people all looking for the big catch. There was also a snow sculpture contest which was won by the Anderson family and featured the Wilgress Monster. (Left): Mike Paradowski was in the hunt after catching a pair of two-pounders, but finished third. See page 3 for results.
It’s the countdown to the 2013 RRSP contribution deadline.
DR. SALMON
250-442-2711 Toll free: 1-800-567-3199 www.grandforksrealestate.ca
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