It was a return to an early morning tradition at the InnovationPlex, as the State of the City Breakfast commenced this morning.

The breakfast is a chance for the City of Swift Current to meet with administration and business leaders from within the municipality. Swift Current Mayor, Al Bridal, repeated his presentation from yesterday's budget announcement at City Hall, after which he fielded questions put forth by those attending the breakfast.

Hosting the event for the City and everyone was the Swift Current and District Chamber of Commerce. Executive Director for the Chamber, Karla Wiens, was thrilled with how things turned out after the last few years during and post-COVID-19 prevented the annual event. 

"I'm very pleased with the turnout that we had, along with the participation from the audience," said Wiens. "The business leaders in the community that came out and asked questions were provided very thorough answers." 

Bridal was able to answer questions that related to why the budget was made the way it was for 2024, expressing again his firm stance on reducing debt. 

He also spoke about how certain elements within the budget were there because of necessity. Things like replacing an aging fire truck, the leaky roof at the local library, and addressing road work and other needs. 

"I would say that everyone in this room today, we are all, both from a personal level and a business standpoint, heavily invested in Swift Current," said Wiens. "This is our home, and we are looking towards the future to ensure that, not just for ourselves, but for future generations Swift Current continues to be a thriving community."

Overall, the return of the breakfast saw hearty engagement not only in the buffet line but also in the questions being asked. For Wiens and the Chamber, the events return and their hosting of it bodes well for the year ahead in 2024. 

"These are tough times," said Wiens. "We've got inflationary pressures. The world economy is in an uproar. The city council and city administration have a very tough job, but I believe they've done a very thorough job putting together the best budget that they can and doing the best they can with the resources that they have." 

If anyone would like to go over the budget themselves and view it in its entirety, they can click here. 

For the key elements, check out this story for the totals, major expenses, and the new property tax increase.

If you would like to attend the next State of the City Breakfast, you can follow the Swift Current and District Chamber of Commerce on any of their social media pages. They will post an announcement well in advance of the next edition.