Council Condensed: city eats lots of festival deficit

New Heritage Festival chairman John Strang talks to North Bay city council about the 2005 version of the event. Photo by Phil Novak.
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The city will eat $223,000 of the deficit incurred by the North Bay Heritage Festival and Grant Forest Products Air Show.

City council voted Monday night to right off part of the red ink and the festival's management committee will pay off the remaining $100,000 deficit over the next two years.

New festival chairman John Strang presented the draft preliminary 2005 budget to council Monday night as well as its plans to turn the event around.

To start, the air show has been dropped for next year, Strang said, but will be considered annually after that,

As well wristband prices have been dropped to $20 in advance and $25 at the door. A family package of five adult wristbands will sell for $80. Admission will be free for families on Monday.

Lee Park activities will now be incorporated into the waterfront,and the petting zoo will be back.

The festival has set a break-even budget of $1.13 million.

Council voted to accept the recommendations and to cover the
$223,000 deficit. A recorded vote was called, and only Coun. George Maroosis and Coun. Tom Mason voted against it.

Maroosis wanted the deficit coverage item referred back to the Community Services Committee, but chairman Dave Mendicino said he felt comfortable with the recommendations
and wanted them passed.

BayToday.ca will have more on this story later this morning.