SPARKS –– Sparks employees and city staff will have to wait until April 26 to get a snapshot of the city’s ailing budget and know if more city staff will be laid off. The city’s budget retreat was planned for Monday but was postponed because city staff needed more time to solidify the cut numbers.

The city must fill an almost $5 million budget gap before 2012.

With jobs on the line, City Manager Shaun Carey has asked all employees to cut 7.5 percent from their paychecks this year and 7.5 percent from next year’s paychecks as well. The fiscal year starts on July 1. City officials are still negotiating with some of the unions that cover the city’s employees, according to city spokesman Adam Mayberry. However, he added that Monday’s postponed meeting was not the result of talks with unions breaking down.

The new time for the budget workshop is April 26 at 1:30 p.m. The location will be announced at a later date, according to a release from the city.