A TEAM from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Municipality Service Department is at present working with the Town Clerk, Treasurer and Senior Clerk of the Linden Municipality towards completing in a week’s time the town’s 2013 budget estimates. The first working session with Municipal Service Officers, Floid Patterson and Fabian Jerrick was held on November 21 in the Linden Municipality Boardroom, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development Collin Croal, who was present at the session, explained that the exercise was to give support to the municipality workers in finalising the 2013 budget estimates.
Croal said that in keeping with legislation of Section 155 of the Municipal and District Council Act Chapter 2801, November 15 was the official deadline for the six municipalities to submit to Minister in the Ministry, Norman Whittaker, their 2013 budget estimates. Minister Whittaker has oversight over the municipalities and Neighbhourhood Democratic Councils (NDCs.)
The Local Government PS said however, that at the budget presentation which was at the ministry’s Kingston office, some of the municipalities just presented a draft and this included Linden.
According to Croal, Minister Whittaker had taken the decision to assign the officers of the Ministry’s Municipal Service to work with these municipalities in completing and finalising their 2013 budgets. The process started in Linden.
Municipal Service Officer Floid Patterson said that the municipal workers are computing some figures submitted in the draft and are also looking at introducing new initiatives to broaden the municipality’s revenue base. Among these is a fourth shift at the Linden toll booth to capture the revenue lost from those leaving Linden at night, heading to Georgetown with lumber.
The goal is to have the budget for the Linden Municipality completed and submitted by next weekend. (GINA)