The budget committee was shorthanded, but that did not stop a handful of last-minute ammendments from being made to the city’s operating budget before it was given initial approval Monday evening.
Councillors Candis Kirkpatrick and Don Mitchell were not pesent for the budget discussions. Kirkpatrick was stranded due to weather in Medicine Hat, while Mitchell was absent due to personal matters.
The ammendments proposed included a second city planning position, the transition of the economic development officer post from half-time to full-time, and an injection of $50,000 in funding to the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre.
Coun. Heather Eby proposed the first ammendment for a second city planner position, at a cost of no more than $100,000.
“I don’t think the current city planner has the capacity to meet with all of the demands placed on (him),” she told the committee.
Mayor Deb Higgins moved to have the economic development officer made a full-time position.
“There’s so much going on in the city, and we need to be able to have someone actively promoting it on a full-time basis,” said Higgins. “There is too much opportunity for the city to be waiting for people to come to us.”
For more, pick up tomorrow's Times-Herald.
