Napoleon City Council approves year-end budget adjustments, accepts public-safety grant and clears project steps

Napoleon City Council on a unanimous series of votes approved three year-end finance measures to close the city’s 2024 books, accepted a $14,857.88 grant for fire-department equipment, set January’s power-supply cost adjustment factor and authorized staff to proceed with documents and bids for two street projects.

The council adopted Ordinance No. 1-25, Ordinance No. 002-25 and Resolution No. 3-25 under suspension of the rules to make 2024 appropriations adjustments, to allow intra-fund transfers under Ohio Revised Code Section 5705.40, and to permit certain fund-to-fund transfers under Ohio Revised Code Section 5705.14. Finance staff said the package includes both increases to some line items and reductions where spending came in below budget; the general fund was reduced by $1,062,431 to reflect lower-than-budgeted spending for 2024.

Nut graf: Those three items were presented by the finance staff and recommended by the Finance and Budget Committee; council members said the adjustments were routine year-end housekeeping needed to produce an accurate Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and to close the prior fiscal year’s books.

The council also voted to accept a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant of $14,857.88 to purchase 12 point-of-reference thermal imaging cameras that attach to firefighters’ air packs. Fire department staff described the devices as smaller, less sophisticated units than truck-mounted thermal cameras but useful as a backup reference for crews that become disoriented inside structures. Staff said the vendor is expected to donate the equipment directly rather than transferring funds to the city.

Council set the city’s power supply cost adjustment factor for January 2025 at 0.01585 (three-month average). City staff attributed a modest increase to extended maintenance at the Prairie State coal-fired plant in southern Illinois, which forced additional purchases on the daily market; staff said the city typically buys about 6.3% of its power on the market and that Prairie State’s current operating commitments extend through about 2043, with the plant’s adjacent mine estimated to supply coal into the mid-2040s.

On transportation, the council directed the law director to draft the legislation required by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) for the Scott Street resurfacing project. Staff said the city had originally budgeted $545,000 for the work but that newly available federal aid reduced the city’s share to $76,086. Council members approved the direction to draft required documents and agreed to seek suspension of rules later because of ODOT’s tight timeline.

Council also approved a motion to seek bids for the East Washington Street Improvement Project; staff said Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds controlled by the county will be used for part of the project and that the council’s vote was a required local step to proceed with bidding.

The council later moved into an executive session for pending or imminent litigation and reported no action taken after that session. The council approved payment of bills and adjourned.

Votes at a glance

- Ordinance No. 1-25 (supplementing annual appropriation measure #4 for 2024; emergency; suspension requested): Passed (roll call recorded unanimous yes). Motion and second recorded; roll call included Patrick Dade, Britney, Ken, Bob, Jordan, Tom (all recorded “Yes”).

- Ordinance No. 002-25 (authorizing finance director to transfer appropriations pursuant to ORC 5705.40; emergency; suspension requested): Passed (roll call recorded unanimous yes). Motion and second recorded; roll call recorded unanimous yes.

- Resolution No. 3-25 (authorizing certain fund-balance transfers pursuant to ORC 5705.14; emergency; suspension requested): Passed (roll call recorded unanimous yes). Motion and second recorded; roll call recorded unanimous yes.

- Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant ($14,857.88 for 12 thermal-imaging cameras): Accepted (motion and second; roll call recorded unanimous yes).

- Power supply cost adjustment factor (January 2025 set at 0.01585): Approved (motion to approve; roll call recorded unanimous yes).

- Direction to law director to draft ODOT-required legislation for Scott Street resurfacing (city share now $76,086 after federal aid): Approved (motion and second; roll call recorded unanimous yes).

- Authorization to seek bids for East Washington Street Improvement Project (CDBG funding involvement noted): Approved (motion and second; roll call recorded unanimous yes).

- Executive session on pending/imminent litigation: Approved and held; no action taken.

Who spoke (sourced from meeting record)

- Andy — City staff member (presented finance documents and power-supply explanation) (affiliation: government) -…