Council adopts emergency budget amendment to supplement 2024 appropriations

Newark City Council declared an emergency and adopted Ordinance 25-070 to amend the city's 2024 appropriation ordinance and add supplemental appropriations to the general fund.

Council material attached to the ordinance shows specific changes: an increase in safety-service salaries and wages of $49,210; an increase in general-fund other expenditures from $4,750,360 to $4,778,360; and updated totals that raise the general fund grand total from $9,715,935 to $9,743,935. The ordinance authorizes the finance director to draw warrants based on the increased appropriations after proper certification of vouchers and states that no warrants for salaries or wages shall be drawn except for persons employed in accordance with law or ordinance.

During floor action, council moved to suspend the rules requiring two readings and to accept the emergency declaration, citing a provision of the Ohio Revised Code discussed in the ordinance text. Mrs. Wilhelm moved acceptance of the emergency declaration; Mr. Duncan seconded. The council approved suspension of the rules and the emergency declaration by roll call, then adopted the ordinance as an emergency measure.

The ordinance text says the emergency is necessary to meet preservation of the peace and safety of citizens and cites a code section that restricts supplemental appropriations absent an emergency measure. The council did not provide additional detail about the operational needs prompting specific increased appropriations at the meeting; the ordinance and attached exhibits were incorporated by reference.