A draft version of the City of Langley’s 2018 budget was presented to the city council at its regular monthly meeting on Oct. 2.

The details, however, remain secret for the time being as city hall declined to release the document to The Record.

“This budget is a rough draft, a starting point only,” City Clerk/Treasurer Debbie Mahler wrote in an email.

State law allows governments to withhold “draft” documents.

Mahler said the draft budget includes estimates submitted by department heads; the figures have not yet been finalized. She added that a preliminary budget will come out the first week of November.

“There will be many changes before the true preliminary budget comes out next month,” Mahler said. “That is the budget that we will hold public hearings on and will be available to you and the public.”