Westmoreland City Council approves capacity-fee amendment, OKs part-time fire chief pay and holds first readings on zoning and tax rate

The Westmoreland City Council on Monday approved an amendment to the city—apacity-fee ordinance on second reading, approved pay for a part-time fire chief and completed several routine financial and procedural items while holding first readings on a zoning setback amendment and the certified tax rate for 2025.

Council members voted unanimously to adopt ordinance 0062025-3, listed in the packet as a capacity-fees amendment. Vice Mayor Jones moved to pass the ordinance on second reading; Councilman Staples seconded. The clerk called the roll and the measure passed unanimously.

The council also voted to approve the pay rate for Mark Jenkins to serve as part-time fire chief. Vice Mayor Jones moved to approve the pay rate; Councilman Calvert seconded. The motion passed unanimously. During discussion, a council member referenced a figure of "24,000" in relation to that item; the amount was stated during the meeting but the record did not clarify whether that figure referred to an annual salary, stipend or other pay schedule.

Among routine items the council approved were the May and June 2025 financial reports and the minutes from the July 17, 2025 meeting. All were approved by voice or roll-call vote with unanimous support.

On first reading the council approved ordinance 0082025-1, a zoning ordinance amendment addressing setbacks and adding language that newly annexed property be zoned agricultural. Vice Mayor Jones moved approval on first reading; Councilman Staples seconded, and the vote carried unanimously. The ordinance was presented as clarifying conflicting language in the existing code about zoning for newly annexed territory.

Also on first reading the council passed ordinance 0082025-2 setting the certified tax rate for fiscal year 2025-26. The council was told the tax rate "is not gonna change" from the previous year and the first-reading motion passed unanimously.

The council approved an added agenda item: reimbursement of the mayor's mileage for July. The mayor stated the mileage was 173 miles for the month and said the reimbursement check totaled $121.10; the council voted to approve the mileage reimbursement unanimously.

The meeting included no public comments; the clerk noted no one signed up to speak. The council adjourned after completing the agenda.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 0062025-3 (capacity-fees amendment): passed on second reading; mover: Vice Mayor Jones; second: Councilman Calvert; outcome: approved unanimously. - Pay rate for Mark Jenkins, part-time fire chief: motion to approve pay rate; mover: Vice Mayor Jones; second: Councilman Calvert; outcome: approved unanimously; referenced amount in discussion: "24,000" (not specified whether annual or otherwise). - May 2025 financial report: approved unanimously. - June 2025 financial report: approved unanimously. - Minutes, July 17, 2025 meeting: approved unanimously. - Ordinance 0082025-1 (zoning setbacks; newly annexed property zoned agricultural): passed on first reading; mover: Vice Mayor Jones; second: Councilman Staples; outcome: approved unanimously. - Ordinance 0082025-2 (certified tax rate for 2025-26): passed on first reading; mover: Vice Mayor Jones; second: Councilman Staples; outcome: approved unanimously; tax rate stated as unchanged (0.83 as stated in meeting). - Mayor mileage for July: 173 miles; reimbursement check stated as $121.10; motion approved unanimously.

All votes recorded in the meeting transcript were unanimous; the transcript records roll-call affirmations for each motion.