Emotions running high as Common Council deciding to table the proposed $151 million dollar operating budget for another week.
Mayor Mel Norton says the city is saving roughly $580,000 on insurance premiums. He says he’d like to see more money go into economic development.
He says the re-balanced budget saw the roads reduced by $100,000 and nothing to top up the economic development agencies.
Councillor at large Shirley McAlary made a motion to take $80,000 from the community grants to go towards economic development, but the motion lost.
City Manager Jeff Trail says the goal of the re-visited budget was to avoid taking away from the future financial health of the city and to not impact services or raise taxes.
Councillor Gerry Lowe pleaded with council to invest more money into the industrial park on the east side. He says cuts are being made where the city can make money in the future.
Finance Committee Chair David Merrithew says the city will end the year with a balanced budget. The deficit was $2.8 million in June.
Common Council will re-visit both the operating and capital budgets next week.
