Greater Sudbury $6 million budget cut: residents pitch 567 ideas

More than 500 ideas on how to chop $6 million dollars from the cost of running the City of Greater Sudbury have been submitted but there is some doubt that this can be done without job or service cuts.

The list of 567 suggestions includes turning off computers at night, putting used paper in the printers, and keeping staff from wasting time.

There are also some old ideas that have been kicked around the council chambers for years including selling Pioneer Manor, scrapping the so-called "slush funds" and taking fluoride out of the drinking water.

The city staff report says that $500,000 in savings have been found that can take effect immediately, but no details are given.

The report also says that reaching the $6 million target will likely require "difficult choices," such as reducing public services or increasingworkloadfor city employees.

The final decisions on what to cut will be made public this fall.

Meanwhile, council will be asked to spend a little more money this week.

City council will vote on a $7 million contract to install LED light bulbs in Sudbury streetlights and a $500,000 plan to build a new park connecting Durham Street downtown to Memorial Park.