While the city is trying to pinch pennies next year, staff will likely be adding a few new positions in the 2021 budget.

Mayor Ken Christian says staff and council are being cautious about hiring, making sure there’s a good business case to do so.

“And we have a couple coming up. We’re looking at an arborist; someone who will help us with our tree canopy issues and look at sequestering carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. And I think that’s a good investment.”

Hiring an arborist would cost $47,000 next year.

The city also is looking to hire two new full-time equivalent firefighters with Kamloops Fire Rescue, which would cost $200,000, which would reduce costs for vacation coverage.

“As identified in 2020, KFR has reached capacity with regard to vacation coverage by the current composition of staff. KFR will need to use overtime call-back to fill some vacation requirements in order to maintain a sufficient contingent of on-duty members,” a Committee of the Whole report from Nov. 24 says.

The city also plans to hire a crime analyst next year at Kamloops RCMP, at a cost of $95,000.

Meanwhile, the city’s planned hires next year would also mean savings to taxpayers in one case. Christian says the city contracts an archaeologist, and says it plans to bring that job in-house which would actually save $47,000.

“We have an archaeologist and actually because of our relationship and commitment to Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc, we want to make sure we are culturally sensitive, in terms of projects. And we have archaeological needs, so right now we’re contracting that out, and if we bring that in-house we’ll actually save money by hiring someone.”

The provisional budget increase is expected to be 0.28 per cent, although there’s still three months before details will be finalized.