Germantown council adopts emergency budget changes, creates Creek Bank Fund and okays police cameras and cruisers

Germantown — The Germantown City Council on Feb. 3 approved an emergency ordinance amending the city’s 2025 appropriations, created a new Creek Bank erosion fund, authorized a five-year contract for automated license-plate cameras and approved purchase of two patrol vehicles, all by unanimous roll call.

The actions were presented by Finance Director Pat Shively and city staff during the regular meeting. "Ordinance number 25 02 is the ordinance to amend the appropriation that we passed for 2025 back in December of 20 24," Pat Shively said, explaining the largest line-item is a $350,000 planning-and-zoning appropriation tied to an EDGE grant that will be reimbursed by the county. Shively told council the police-levy fund appropriation increases by $90,900 to cover items not included in the original 2025 budget; the department also received a $25,000 donation last year that will offset some purchases.

Police Chief Matt Burns asked council to approve replacing a cruiser destroyed in a Dec. 26 crash and to proceed with an additional vehicle already budgeted. Speaking about the department’s plan for automated-license-plate-system cameras, Burns said the five-year contract "is gonna add out to be about $31,300. There's $6,000 a year. However, the first…