Work on the 2016 budget continues in the Municipality of West-Interlake. It's the second year in a row the municipality's faced delays with their budget, due to issues with the amalgamation of the former RMs of Siglunes and Eriksdale. Reeve Randy Helgason says they were facing some challenges with the way the information's been entered, adding West-Interlake CAO Larissa Love has been working evenings and weekends, to ensure the budget is perfect before it's presented.

"This year we want to make sure everything we present at the public hearing on the budget is true and exact, and everything is as it should be before we present it."

While most municipalities had passed their 2016 budgets months ago, Helgason says it seems they're not alone in the challenge. He says provincial officials have indicated other communities forced to amalgamated in 2015 are facing similar issues, noting different tax rates and an overall change in the area means an entirely new process is necessary.

Despite the delays, Helgason says the municipality's carrying on with business as usual. He says they anticipated some delays in this year's budget process, so made sure the interim budget addressed the extended period needed to work on the document.

"We're still going ahead with projects and stuff we know has to get done, and we know it's in the right spot. It's not really stalling any projects, so to speak."

Helgason anticipates their CAO will be putting forth a budget by the end of next week, with the public hearing coming shortly after.