Bexley to receive roughly $1.5 million after audit finds billing error in Columbus fire contract

BEXLEY, Ohio — The Bexley City Council suspended the three‑reading requirement and adopted Ordinance 10-25 to approve an addendum to the city's fire service contract with the City of Columbus that will produce an approximately $1.5 million credit to Bexley.

City staff said an audit of the intergovernmental billing found an incorrect charge that began in 2018 and continued through subsequent invoices: Bexley had been billed for the equivalent of 17 firefighters rather than the 15 firefighter engine company defined in the contract. Finance staff, the mayor and the auditor examined the invoices, raised the issue with Columbus, and Columbus agreed to a settlement that will be credited against upcoming bills.

Mayor Ben Kessler described the discovery as the result of closer invoice review. "Lo and behold, we found that not only was it not a correct estimate for our 2025 contract, but it had been improperly billed," Kessler said. The mayor and auditor said Columbus reviewed the records and enacted an ordinance to authorize the refund.

The credit will be applied through reductions on Bexley's April and October invoices from Columbus, city staff said. The council voted unanimously to suspend readings and adopt the ordinance. Council members said that while the credit improves the city's near‑term finances, they will continue to monitor the contract and that any future contract renewals will be considered separately; the current contract runs through the end of 2028.

The motion to suspend and adopt Ordinance 10-25 was made by Council Member Jessica Saad and seconded by Sam Marcelino. The roll call votes were unanimous.