Quinte West council will be back to work on its budget for this year Monday (January 8) morning.
Staff will bring a proposed budget to council showing a 7.16% residential tax increase, or about $245 a year on the average house in the city.
Meanwhile, staff will ask council to approve spending 38% of all new assessment on the hiring of additional staff.
Currently, Quinte West has fewer than seven full-time staff for each 1,000 residents, considerably lower than the average of over 11 full-time in four comparable municipalities.
As well, comparable communities are spending an average of 38% of operating costs on staff salaries and benefits while Quinte West spends about 28% on staff remuneration.
An organizational review in 2021 concluded Quinte West was under-resourced and a survey of staff showed two thirds of respondents believed workload was over capacity and that the city could not meet its future goals as outlined in a strategic plan.
At the special meeting Monday, staff will ask that council consider putting aside more money for hiring going over and above the recommended 38% of new assessment.
The draft budget being presented shows four new staff members being hired, a number that would serve to maintain current service levels.
