Council to Review 2021 Northumberland County Budget at Upcoming Special Meetings
Northumberland County Council will hold two days of Special Meetings in December devoted to comprehensive review of the 2021 Northumberland County Budget. Meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, December 9 and Thursday, December 10, 2020 beginning at 9:00 a.m..
As a precaution during the COVID-19 pandemic, these meetings will take place virtually through Zoom videoconferencing. Members of the public are encouraged to tune into the live feed of these meetings, which will be broadcast on the County’s YouTube channel at YouTube.com/ CountyNorthumberland.
Budget process
· The County budget planning process officially begins in the second quarter of each year, with Council typically establishing a target levy increase in June around which staff then structures the following year’s budget for Council’s review.
· As part of this annual process, the County then engages with community members in July/August to review and confirm long-term financial priorities through the Financial Framework Survey.
· Based on Council direction, Strategic Plan priorities and input from residents obtained through the Financial Framework Survey, each operating department then develops an annual business plan and related budget throughout August and September, identifying projects and resources to be confirmed through the budget process. Departments also contribute to the review and update of the long term plan, ensuring a rolling 10-year financial plan.
· The Finance Department oversees consolidation of all budget inputs throughout the months of October and November.
· In December, the final draft budget is presented to County Council for review and discussion. Council may vote on the budget in December, or they may provide direction to staff to make further adjustments and deliver an updated version at a future meeting of Council for review, discussion and voting.
The Treasurer’s Budget Presentation along with 2021 Northumberland County Budget documents will be available online following the Special Meetings of Council. To access these documents, and for more information about the County’s budget process, visit Northumberland.ca/Budget.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love