Council adopts 2025 operating budget and directs state marijuana revenues to general fund; rental-license measure pulled for further review

The Ironton City Council voted March 13 to adopt the city’s permanent operating budget for 2025 (Ordinance 25-13) and to direct a new state revenue stream tied to recent state guidance into the city’s general fund (Ordinance 25-15). The council also removed a residential rental-licensing ordinance (Ordinance 25-16) from the agenda for more work and scheduled a workshop.

Council members gave third reading and adopted Ordinance 25-13 to adopt the permanent operating budget for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2025. Council minutes show the ordinance received a favorable recommendation from the finance committee prior to the vote. Roll call was taken and the ordinance passed.

The council also moved to suspend rules and advance Ordinance 25-15 for second and third reading by title and then adopted it by emergency declaration. The ordinance directs revenue received under the state code provision referenced in the ordinance into the city’s general fund; council members discussed guidance from the auditor of state and noted that the revenue is not statutorily restricted and therefore the general fund was recommended.

On Ordinance 25-16, the proposed residential rental-registration and inspection ordinance, council members said the draft was not ready for final action. Council voted to strike the ordinance from the record and to hold a workshop on the topic at 5 p.m. on March 27 in Council Chambers so that the solicitor and staff can incorporate edits and return a revised draft. Councilmembers cited questions about registration numbers, zoning-violation language and enforcement procedures.

Ordinance 25-17 (temporary budget amendment) was also removed from the agenda; the record shows the item did not receive first reading and was stricken.

Votes at a glance: - Ordinance 25-13 (permanent operating budget, FY 2025): adopted. Roll-call votes recorded in the meeting transcript show Council members Brown, Cleary, Haney, Harvey, Paul and Vaughn voting aye. - Ordinance 25-15 (directing state revenues into general fund; emergency): adopted. Roll-call votes recorded show Brown, Cleary, Amy, Harvey, Paul and Vaughn voting aye. - Ordinance 25-16 (residential rental unit licensing and inspection): stricken from the record; workshop set for March 27 at 5:00 p.m. for further review and edits. - Ordinance 25-17 (temporary budget amendment): stricken (first reading not held).

No fines, fees or specific appropriation line items were changed on the record beyond adoption of the operating budget; council members asked staff to draft specific language in the rental-licensing proposal and to bring that language back after the workshop.

Ending: City staff will post meeting outcomes and the scheduling notice for the March 27 workshop; the solicitor and finance staff were asked to prepare the rental-licensing draft for that session.