Council approves extension of Chillicothe Municipal Court victim-witness assistance program, authorizes grant applications

The Chillicothe City Council adopted an ordinance on June 13, 2025, extending the Chillicothe Municipal Court victim-witness assistance program and authorizing applications for Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) and State Victims Assistance Act grants, including matching and additional funding and acceptance and appropriation of grant funds if awarded. The ordinance was presented as a second reading with emergency language.

Councilmember Creed moved to waive the three-reading rule for the ordinance; Councilmember DeMint seconded the motion. The clerk called the roll on the waiver and recorded unanimous support. After the waiver, the clerk called the roll on the ordinance itself; the recorded vote was unanimous and the ordinance was adopted.

The ordinance text presented at the meeting authorizes program continuation, grant applications to VOCA and the State Victims Assistance Act, authorization of matching and other local funding as needed, and acceptance and appropriation of any awarded grant funds into the city's accounts. The meeting transcript records no substantive debate or amendment of the ordinance language during this special session.

The council recorded the votes by roll call for both the waiver of the three-reading rule and final adoption. The ordinance will be implemented by the Municipal Court and city financial staff according to the funding terms and any grant award conditions.