A Flashpoint for the spring Budget ... barely makes for a comment for Prince Rupert Budget 2024 in the fall

The McCarty building plans for Operations a hot topic for the budget
this spring gained scant mention by Council at the
2024 Budget presentation of Monday

Ever since it was introduced as part of the Operations Department planning eighteen months ago, the McCarthy GM site and the city's plans for it has been a flashpoint for the public, making for significant discussion in the Spring Budget of this year.

The project to relocate the City's Operations Department there was first introduced in the Spring of 2022 and since then has made for some at times roiling debate for the community.

The last mention of the plans for the Portage Road location over the summer noting of a costing spike for the city's plans.

So it might have been expected that the plans would once again make for some focus for the 2024 Budget planning; but other than a mention from CFO Bomben requesting of a roll over of 75,000 dollars there was no real update on the progress for the project.

"Budget was requested in 2023 to undertake leasehold improvements at the McCarthy building for the purposes of moving public works into it. 

It became apparent that a detailed review of the exact needs of the department was necessary. 

A rollover of 75,00 dollars is requested to finish the assessment of the requirements and the completion of a Class V cost estimate.

This estimate will be utilized to bring forward to Council for consideration at a later date. Funding is through dividends" 

Council members had no questions on Monday for the Operations Director related to the plans for the McCarthy facility and by rolling the funding over through the budget, they seemingly will be able to defer any comment until the delivery of the the estimates noted.

Whether the public will be as willing to take a pause on the discussion of the plans could make for some of the budget 2024 narrative towards the final consultation sessions of November 14.

More notes on the Budget Presentation can be reviewed here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.