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Toledo council passes amended EV funding ordinance; emergency clause delayed
Summary
The Toledo City Council passed an amended ordinance (31-25) to reappropriate modest funds for electric-vehicle leases and to authorize $10,000 for charging equipment, but the measure's emergency clause will not take immediate effect because the council fell short of the higher vote threshold required for emergency measures.
The Toledo City Council on Feb. 11 passed an amended ordinance, 31-25, authorizing reappropriation and expenditures to support an initial city electric-vehicle (EV) fleet program and Chargers pilot, but members noted the measure's emergency clause will not take immediate effect.
The ordinance authorizes a reappropriation of $3,576 from the general fund 1% for the environment to the general fund plan commission, an annual expenditure of $24,961 from the general fund to lease electric vehicles under the city's existing Enterprise Fleet Management lease agreement, and $10,000 for the purchase and installation of electric-vehicle charging systems. The mayor is authorized to accept bids and award contracts for the charging equipment and related work.
Council member Komis moved to relieve ordinance 31-25 from committee and amend it; the motion passed on a roll-call vote. Council President Hartman, Councilman Hobbs, Council member Comives, Councilwoman McPherson, Councilwoman Morris, Councilman Sarantu and Councilwoman Williams voted yes. Council members recorded the ordinance as passed, but the council president noted the body needs eight affirmative votes to enact the emergency clause; the council had seven recorded yes votes and therefore the emergency provision will not take effect immediately.
Council member Comives thanked colleagues for support after the vote, saying, “I think we came to a really good solution, and I'm really excited to get it going.” That statement was made during the meeting's first-call remarks after the ordinance passed.
Because the emergency clause was not met, the ordinance will take effect according to the standard timing rules for ordinances (i.e., after the required readings and any statutory waiting period) unless the council secures the additional vote required to apply the emergency measure at a subsequent meeting.
The ordinance text also directs the mayor to pursue procurement steps for fleet leasing and charger installation; it does not specify vendor names beyond referencing the existing Enterprise Fleet Management lease agreement. Council members discussed the ordinance as a path to begin electrifying some city vehicles and to install charging infrastructure, but no additional details about the specific charging locations, timeline for vehicle deliveries, or long-term budgetary commitments were specified on the record.
Next steps: the item will appear on a future council agenda for the ordinary enactment process or for a renewed motion to apply the emergency clause if the council seeks immediate effect.
