The first round of estimates meetings in the Central Otago district ended positively with a single change to the budget and $30,000 off the rates burden.
Central Otago District Council corporate services manager Susan Finlay said it was too early to predict the overall rate take in the district.
The district's four community boards will discuss the budgets for their respective areas during meetings next month, starting with Cromwell on Monday and followed by Maniototo on Thursday.
The council's executive committee on Wednesday considered draft estimates, fees and charges for council activities that fell outside the jurisdiction of the boards.
Items covered included housing for the elderly, council buildings, district grants, information technology, staff training and recruitment.
Cr Neil Gillespie said the committee's recommendations would have an impact on rates.
"We've only made one change to the budget during the whole meeting, but at least we've taken $30,000 off the rates," he said.
Costs for the hiring of council chambers, conference rooms, Cromwell, Ranfurly and Roxburgh service centre rooms and council administration fees are unchanged.
Hiring the council chambers in Alexandra or Cromwell for a day will cost $115 ($55 for a half-day), while the chambers in Ranfurly and Roxburgh cost $55 a day ($35 half-day).
The committee agreed to cut $30,000 from the $60,000 staff recruitment budget.
Chief executive Phil Melhopt said $9500 was set aside for recruitment in the coming year but more than $14,000 had already been spent on recruiting staff this year.
If a senior staff member left, it would cost more than $10,000 to find a replacement.
He said the budget should be $60,000: $20,000 for advertising, $30,000 for recruitment consultants and $10,000 for relocation expenses.
Cr Gillespie said a figure of $30,000 would be "more realistic" and if a senior staff member had to be replaced, the council could then look at funding options for recruiting a replacement.
Repairs and maintenance to council-owned senior citizen flats in Alexandra, Clyde, Cromwell and Roxburgh were estimated at $53,000.
Rentals would be set in June and council property manager Mike Kerr said the council had already resolved that rents for existing tenants would increase by no more than $6 a week.
