SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
What happens when a city councillor floats an idea for inclusion in the municipal budget?

Coun. Linda Bussey asked administration to include a social issues budget line for 2016. During the draft budget presentation last week, the idea was presented as if the idea was to create an entire social development department with an estimated cost of building or leasing office space at $500,000 and operations and maintenance costs - including staff - pegged at $1.3 million to $1.5 million annually. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo

In the case of Coun. Linda Bussey, who asked for a dedicated budget line to address social issues, it resulted in city administration considering how much it would cost to create a whole new municipal department.

The councillor told Yellowknifer she was surprised to find her request had ballooned into administration costing out the price of building or leasing office space and hiring staff.

A presentation from Jeff Dalley, director of corporate services, about the the draft budget last week at a municipal services committee meeting showed the estimated cost of building or leasing office space at $500,000 with operations and maintenance costs - including staff - pegged between $1.3 and $1.5 million annually. Dalley wasn't able to provide an estimate about how many staff that would involve when asked by Yellowknifer.

Bussey said what Dalley presented went beyond her initial request.

"When they saw my request for social development, they thought a social development department. That's not what I was talking about. I was talking about a budget line," Bussey said last week. "I was talking about one person that could be a conduit for all of the (non-governmental organizations) in town, a person that could do some work for the committees," she said. For example, the social issues committee is preparing a mail-out to residents highlighting various statistics about the city such as the number of shelter beds available and other data.

Asked if she'd support such a department, she said she supports the city taking a greater role regarding social issues within its means.

"To what extent, I think we need to have that conversation. I don't think it's something we can sustain right now," Bussey said.

Establishing such an office would represent a significant increase to the city's $68.6 million budget.

However, the idea was simply among several in his presentation. It has not been included in the draft 2016 budget.

After highlighting items on the wish-list, Dalley had warned councillors that $260,000 more in general fund spending would roughly equate to a one per cent property tax increase.

The city's draft budget still has to undergo public consultation this week and debate by council before approval.

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