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Council sends supplemental appropriations for cruiser laptops, fire repairs and inspections to finance committee
Summary
Councilors assigned Ordinance 2025-08, a set of supplemental appropriations that include $40,000 for 10 cruiser laptops (time-sensitive due to a quoted June 30 pricing deadline), transfers for leave reserves, $26,000 for fire engine repairs and increased plumbing inspection funding, to the finance committee for review.
Grandview Heights City Council on May 27, 2025, referred Ordinance 2025-08 — a package of supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2025 — to the finance committee for further review and possible action.
A staff member told council the packet was an early round of supplemental appropriations driven in part by an urgent pricing window for police cruiser laptops: "if we order before June 30, they will allow us to purchase using that quota price, which is around $3,900 a piece. After June 30, they go to $5,400," the staff member said. The staff member said the packet requests $40,000 to purchase 10 cruiser laptops so the city can replace units that cannot update to Windows 11.
The supplemental package as presented includes several reallocations and increases: a $100,000 transfer from salary-related accounts to contractual services for planning and economic-development contracts (the staff member referenced work with Planning Next and a contractor identified in the record as Richer Grama and consultant Mike Jacoby); a $35,000 increase to plumbing inspections tied to expected permit revenue for a large apartment project; a $26,000 increase for vehicle maintenance to cover unexpected repairs on an 11-year-old backup fire engine; and roughly $8,000 for equipment tied to a police special response team (identified in the record by Chief Starnes). The staff member also reported three parental leaves, three medical leaves and one retirement in the fire department that will increase salary and benefit needs.
Council member Smith moved to assign Ordinance 2025-08 to the finance committee. Council set a committee meeting in mid-June; the staff member noted Director Miller will be out of town on June 9, which may affect scheduling. Council did not vote on the ordinance at the May 27 meeting; referral to finance was recorded as the next step and the item was treated as a first reading.
The staff member said other midyear adjustments remain possible: after the second-half property tax settlement and completion of more detailed account reviews, the city expects to return in the fall with additional supplemental requests if needed.
No formal amendments or final appropriations were approved at the meeting; the finance committee will review the packet and report back to full council.
