Budget committee looking a library budget freeze

(Newswatch Group/File)

CORNWALL – Cornwall councillors are zeroing in on the Cornwall Public Library budget, asking to see what a zero per cent increase would look like.

The library budget is slated to increase nearly two per cent to just over $2.2 million dollars.

The biggest expenses in the budget are a proposed 60 per cent increase for promotion and programs (from $10,000 to $17,000).

Coun. Frost says it’s important to look at the library budget and be “fiscally responsible.” Frost would like to see every department to come back with a zero per cent increase but believes that idea would be “shot down.”

Couns. Carilyne Hebert and Elaine MacDonald voted against looking at a budget freeze for the library.

Coun. MacDonald says she’s all too aware of the low literacy rate in SD&G and believes cutting services would be detrimental.

“I would like to see a revenue increase rather than a service cut (at the Cornwall library),” Hebert added.

Coun. Claude McIntosh believes it’s a challenge to look at rolling back the 2015 budget for the library now considering almost a quarter of the year in already passed.

The report should be back next week.

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