Cornwall budget committee sets target of 4%

The Cornwall budget committee listens to CFO Tracey Bailey (not shown) during a meeting Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018. The committee has set a budget target of 4 per cent in a 7-4 vote. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston)

CORNWALL – The city’s budget committee has set a target of an overall increase of 4 per cent for 2018.

The meeting Thursday morning, which was emotionally charged at some points, saw the committee set the target in a 7-4 vote.

Those that voted against the target were councillors Carilyne Hebert, Bernadette Clement, Elaine MacDonald and Mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy.

It will mean the committee will have to carve out about $2.5 million from the $171 million budget.

Coun. Bernadette Clement said the committee had already made a “significant cut” to outside agencies and felt it was “absurd” to be setting a budget target so late in the process. “I’m incredibly frustrated,” she said.

The budget meeting continues today (Thursday).