Heading into its preliminary round of budgeting meetings with a new city council, the City of Humboldt finds itself in a positive financial position as reported at the City Council meeting on November 23. 

The Budget to Actual Report, prepared by Finance Manager Jace Porten, gave a snapshot of the city’s position at the end of the year. While the final expenditures have been hard to pin down due to variations caused by COVID, the report estimates the city to be in a positive position by $300,000 to $700,000 in comparison to its projected budget expenditures. 

The range of numbers, explains Porten, is partially due to outstanding payments to be issued, and there are considerations around reporting grants.

“There are also some grants that we can’t recognize unless they are spent in the current year,” explains Porten. “Whether we recognize those as revenue in the current year could change that as well.”

To what extent COVID will play a hand in the final analysis remains to be seen, but it has had some evident impacts to this point. Expenditures by the city in promotional activities and reduced revenues at the Uniplex because of restrictions are just a couple of examples. However, reduced staffing and costs in recreational and cultural programming have made up for that shortfall. The cancelled Summer Sizzler and other civic events are examples

Cultural Services reports over $125,000 to the good due to an unbudgeted grant and a supervisor vacancy for much of the year. 

When the dust settles on the financial year, the city may not have been as negatively impacted by COVID as other larger centres have been reporting. Budgeting for the coming year begins in earnest on December 7 and 8 as City Council and staff gather to consider the balance sheets. The budget meetings will be broadcast through the city’s webpage.