Quinte West City Council approved a resolution to provide an immediate grant of $100,000 to the Quinte Museum of Natural History from the Quinte Museum of Natural History Reserve.
The resolution also has council inviting QMNH to present a business plan and any financial request relating to council’s previous commitment of $2 million in kind and $2 million in cash at the city’s next special budget meeting slated for either December 6 or 7.
QMNH requested an immediate boost due to cash flow constraints that they say could not be deferred to the budget.
Many councillors spoke about the benefits of having the museum in the city.
“I tell a lot of people from out of town. When you’re in town, this is one of the things that you’ve got to see. So I’m certainly going to support it,” Councillor Egerton Boyce said to council.
Not all councillors were on board with the resolution.
Councillor Dave O’Neill said he really wants the organization to be successful but that he couldn’t support “last minute requests” like the resolution presented.
“The money is there but we should have had financial projections showing the updated revenue and expenditures to justify this project is still viable,” O’Neill explained to council.
“Without that, I don’t think we should support this.”
The decision was ultimately decided in a recorded vote where it was passed 11-9.
Those who voted yes included councillors Jim Alyea, Egerton Boyce, Zack Card, Sally Freeman, Michael Kotsovos, Don Kuntze, Lynda Reid, Karen Sharpe, and Shelley Stedall.
Those who voted no included councillors Dave O’Neil and Duncan Armstrong.
Mayor Jim Harrison was not in attendance for the Wednesday meeting. Councillor David McCue withdrew himself from the discussion due to a conflict of interest.
