Council approves four ordinances, moves multiple appropriations

Galion City Council on a unanimous voice and roll-call vote suspended rules and approved multiple ordinances and a resolution on final reading, moving budgeted funds into new line items and executing technical budget cleanups.

Council approved an ordinance that moves previously approved recreation funds into a dedicated depot line so the city can track depot expenses; the measure also appropriates a mix of previously budgeted and newly appropriated monies tied to the depot project, and notes reimbursements from an external source described in the meeting as SCAC. Council members at the meeting were told portions of the money were already approved in prior budgets and that roughly $700,000 (split as $350,000 in each of two years) had been earmarked for the depot; roughly $190,000 was described as reimbursable from SCAC and about $88,000 was described as the city general-fund share that had not yet been appropriated. Staff said much of the ordinance simply moves already-authorized dollars between accounting lines so depot spending can be tracked.

Separately, the council amended and then passed an ordinance cleaning up multiple line items inside health-department grant budgets. Finance staff described those changes as “cleanups” to align grant line items (moving small amounts from contractual and equipment budgets into medical and lab-supply lines and salary/benefit lines). Council moved to remove a numeric code from one line (an amendment to section 10) and to re-order and delete a later section before approving the amended ordinance.

Council also suspended the rules and passed an annual purchase/authorization ordinance (described as routine finance housekeeping) and a resolution to correct prior departmental actions and declare an emergency for a runway-lighting grant project at the airport; staff said the runway lighting work had originally been budgeted at a 95/5 split but at one point the Federal Aviation Administration covered 100 percent during COVID, and purchase orders had retained a local-share setup.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 2025-22 (depot appropriations and line transfers): Motion to suspend rules by Council President Richard, second by Councilmember Palmer; roll-call votes recorded in favor; motion carried and ordinance passed on final reading. (Council recorded yes votes from members present.) - Ordinance 2025-23 (health-department fund transfers, amended): Councilmember Kent Mercurio moved to amend section 10 to remove the number 52320; second by Councilmember George; amendment carried on roll call. A subsequent amendment to remove and reorder sections also carried. The amended ordinance was then passed on final reading after a motion to suspend the rules and a roll-call vote. - Ordinance 2025-24 (annual purchase/authorization): Motion to suspend rules and move to final reading carried; ordinance passed on final reading. - Resolution 2025-25 (airport runway lighting / emergency declaration): Motion to suspend the rules and pass the resolution carried on roll-call vote; staff said the FAA ultimately paid 100 percent of the project during COVID though purchase orders still reflected a local-share structure.

Council members generally described the budget items as routine or clerical moves needed to align accounting with intended spending. Several members asked clarifying questions about specific sections and small line-item numbers; finance staff and the mayor answered those questions before the votes.

The measures passed at the meeting modify how existing funds are recorded and authorize the city to proceed with grant-related purchases; none of the measures introduced new, substantial ongoing programs.

Ending Clerical amendments and the suspension-of-rules votes allowed the council to place all listed ordinances and the resolution on final reading and approve them during the same meeting. Council minutes and the adopted ordinances will show the final text and the roll-call vote records.