CORNWALL – The number of Cornwall tax dollars going to non-profit community groups and organizations has been chopped 28 per cent for 2018.
During its meeting today (Friday), the budget committee approved $56,000 in grant requests to outside agencies as well as $61,020 for in-kind service requests.
That’s down 28 per cent from 2017 when council approved $82,000 in grants and $80,930 in in-kind services.
This year’s budget committee had been faced with over a quarter million dollars in requests.
Here’s how the money is expected to be doled out:
- $15,000 for Centre Culturel de Cornwall (had asked for $30,000)
- $15,000 for Your Arts Council Cornwall & The Counties (had asked for $50,000)
- $10,000 for Cornwall BMX Club (asked for $10,000)
- $15,000 for The Not So Amateurs, Amateurs Cornwall (had asked for $25,000)
- $1,000 for Cornwall Waterfest
The following requests were struck down:
- $5,000 for 2018 Senior Boys OFSSA Championship
- $20,000 for Seaway Food Festival – Beer Fest
- $3,120 for Habitat for Humanity Cornwall & The Counties
Two requests — $30,000 for the Cornwall Rowing Club and $18,897 for the Cornwall Sports Hall of Fame – have been moved over to the city’s parks and recreation department budget.
As for in-kind services:
- $1,550 Centre Culturel de Cornwall
- $7,460 Cornwall Waterfest
- $2,500 The Hub for Beyond 21 Foundation
- $17,185 Cornwall Triathlon
- $18,400 Optimist Club of Cornwall Ribfest
- $11,825 Santa Claus Parade
- $600 Kinsmen in Motion
- $1,500 Cornwall and District Service Club
An in-kind request from the Seaway Food Festival’s Beer Fest for $5,050 was also denied.
The belt tightening for outside agencies has been an ongoing process since 2016. Council agreed last year to take some major agencies under the wing of various city departments: Cornwall Tourism, the English and French seniors centers, Aultsville Theater and the SD&G Historical Society (museum).
The grants still need to be approved by the full city council.
The budget committee meets again on Thursday (Jan. 25) at 9 a.m.