Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 30/99) - In the middle of city councillor Robert Slaven's list of ways to bring the 2000 budget in-line, there is a little known item regarding council lunches.

Slaven brought his own preliminary list of cuts, to be considered for next year's budget, to the last council meeting.

Discontinuing the discount for paying taxes early, raising user-fees for gymnasium use, introducing voluntary subscriptions for library services and reducing the city council travel budget are just a few of his suggestions.

He also suggested eliminating the budget item that supplies lunch to council, administration and support staff at Monday meetings.

"I think the total cost of those lunches is in the neighbourhood of $10,000 a year," Slaven said.

Over the year council meets 48 times, usually on Monday at noon, for what's called a Priorities, Planning and Budget meeting. Administration joins them and the public is welcome to attend.

At the luncheon, the mayor reports on his previous weeks activities, agenda items are introduced and recommendations voted on.

The food is catered by as many as six different restaurants around town.

"(If we cut lunches) my biggest concern is with administration who are ordered to come to the meeting. I think it's a courtesy to them to offer lunch," Slaven said.

"In my personal case, I can brown bag it. Every suggested cut is going to meet with opposition but each one can be considered a starting point."

Although eliminating lunches would save money, there are those like Giorgio's Restaurant manager Cosimina Meraglia who would miss the business.

"We are a family-owned business so catering those lunches helps us very much," Meraglia said.

"Many restaurants take a turn doing the lunches, which I think is a good thing."