Brandon Sun By: Colin Slark LEFT: City of Brandon treasurer and acting city manager Dean Hammond said that the city’s debt burden is below the maximum imposed by the province, but the city’s use of debt is likely to increase over the next few years. (File) RIGHT: Coun. Shawn Berry (Linden Lanes) said at Tuesday’s city council meeting that there is a fine balance trying to address crime while managing protective services costs appropriately. (File) Despite dealing with COVID-19 and the losses of revenue that it caused, the City of Brandon reduced its operating expenditures for 2021 compared to 2020.