Council adopts 2025 budget after heated debate over economic development contract, parks and IT spending

Baberton City Council adopted the city's 2025 operating and capital budget Monday after hours of committee reports and floor debate that centered on how the city should staff and pay for economic development work, parks improvements and IT upgrades.

The vote followed weeks of internal discussion and last-minute amendments that shifted money among departments. Councilwoman Lisa Thompson, chair of the finance committee, moved the final adoption after members approved a package of targeted changes including cuts to consulting and re-allocations into planning and personnel lines.

Why it matters: The budget debate brought long-running questions about how Barberton should run economic-development work into the open. Supporters said the city needs a long-term, staffed capacity; critics said the consulting contract did not deliver measurable results and that hiring or reallocating staff is a better use of limited tax dollars.

Council members spent more than an hour debating details before final action. Councilman Michael Heideck proposed shifting $50,000 from a planning capital line into planning personnel to reduce spending on outside consultants; the motion passed. Council members also moved $25,000 into a parks overlay for Waltz Park (leaving $25,000 of an originally proposed $75,000 item), cut a hot-spot/camera line in parks recreation programs and reallocated smaller sums across human resources and planning budgets.

Mayor (unnamed in transcript) defended the city's broader economic work and urged more engagement between council and…