Council approves amended first reading of fire-department leave ordinance; refinances fire-truck lease

The City Council voted to strike and substitute new language in an ordinance amending sections 167.30 and 167.31 of Article 167 of the South Charleston city code concerning holidays and fire-department leave, then passed the ordinance on to a second reading.

Councilmembers moved to replace the original text with a rewritten substitute and voted in favor of the amendment and then to pass the ordinance as amended to a second reading. Councilwoman Walker seconded the substitute motion; after an aye vote the council clerk announced the ordinance “passes on to the second reading.”

Separately, the council approved a resolution to refinance the existing PNC Bank, National Association lease-purchase agreement for previously acquired new fire trucks with Huntington National Bank. The motion to approve the refinancing was seconded and carried on a roll-call vote; the clerk announced the measure passed.

Council discussion on the ordinance focused on procedure: a council member asked whether a material change could be made on second reading and was advised that a material amendment must be introduced on the first reading so the substitute was offered immediately. No substantive amendments to leave policy language were recorded in the transcript beyond the adoption of the substitute text.

The transcript does not include the substitute text verbatim in the recorded excerpts and does not record specifics of the refinancing terms (interest rate, repayment schedule or impact on the capital budget).