It appears likely that city council will support spending money on a plan to study the feasibility of putting a university in Cornwall - councillors just want to make sure they don't have the cart before the horse.
City council decided Monday night to postpone any decision on spending $50,000 on the study, because it has yet to approve the 2013 municipal budget.
The budget's approval could come as early as Friday, when the city's budget committee (made up of city councillors) meets.
Coun. Glen Grant suggested the delay was more about procedure than suggesting council is against the plan.
"We can't very well begin spending money when we haven't set the budget yet," he said in an interview.
Both he and Mayor Bob Kilger agreed there appears to be unanimous support for the university study.
In an interview after Monday's council meeting, Kilger said council is making the right decision in light of the budget process that has yet to be completed.
Councillors are being asked to approve the contribution of $10,000 from the 2013 Economic Development Department budget, and up to $40,000 in additional funds from either the Progress Fund or 2013 budget.
The funding would be conditional upon a university steering committee, made up of local stakeholders like the Kaneb family and businessman Gerry Benson, also being able to secure the remaining funding from other sources including the United Counties and Akwesasne.
The United Counties has already pledged $20,000 to the project, while the Eastern Ontario Training Board has offered $5,000.
