The Pierce County Council has scheduled 10 public meetings as it considers spending priorities for the 2015 budget.

Council members will soon conclude a series of retreats at which they learned about the specifics of the 2015 budget proposal submitted Sept. 23 by County Executive Pat McCarthy. They will spend the next several weeks interviewing department leaders and considering budget modifications.

Those public meetings will be televised live on the county channel, Pierce County TV, found on channels 22/522HD on the Click! cable system, channel 22 on Comcast and channel 20 on Rainier Connect. Budget meetings will also be available on demand at www.piercecountytv.org and on the PCTV mobile app.

The first meeting of the Committee of the Whole is scheduled for Oct. 22 and will begin with an overview by the county Budget and Finance Director and the Medical Examiner. The council will hear additional presentations from Parks and Recreations Services, Planning and Land Services, Public Works and Utilities, Community Connections, Facilities Management, and representatives of the court system. Also speaking to the council will be Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor, Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist, Corrections Bureau Chief Karen Daniels, Pierce County Auditor Julie Anderson and Assessor-Treasurer Mike Lonergan.

Public comment and possible council action could begin as early as Nov. 7, with Nov. 12 being reserved for possible final council action. The meeting agendas are subject to change, however the most up-to-date information can be found on the council’s website.

“We’re tasked each year with reviewing how and where county government is spending taxpayer dollars, and we take that obligation very seriously,” said Council Chair Dan Roach, who represents the 1st Council District. “It’s our job to take the thoughtful proposal that the executive submitted and ensure it carries out the citizens’ priorities in the most efficient and effective manner possible. It’s not an easy task, which is why we appreciate the fact that members of the public have the ability to watch the proceedings from start to finish.”

Roach added that the meetings are scheduled to be held in the Council Chamber, located on the 10th floor of the County-City Building. The address is 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 1045, in Tacoma.