An ordinance to fund city operations in 2026 (Ordinance 188-25) was read by title during London City Council’s meeting, and council members and residents questioned several line items and a new proposed events appropriation.

The second reading of Ordinance 188-25—"An ordinance to make appropriations for current expenses and other expenditures of the City of London, State of Ohio during the fiscal year ending 12/31/2026"—was moved and seconded; the transcript records the read-by-title motion but no final adoption vote.

Why it matters: the ordinance sets spending limits across dozens of funds. A council committee reported city revenue for the year at $21,628,411.78 (including about $4.2 million in bond proceeds) and expenses at $16,632,345.47, and members said the overall budget figure is about 6.9% higher than the prior year.

During public comment, Raymond Anthony reviewed the appropriation document line-by-line and asked how the city handles expenditures that exceed current-year estimates. "So if you have expenditures over that amount by the end of the year, where do you get the extra money to pay for bills that you need to pay?" he asked, pressing staff for clarity on contingency and balance practices.

A particular point of debate was a newly proposed "events" line. Council discussion and committee reports showed annual event spending of about $9,696 in 2024 and roughly $6,488 so far in 2025. The proposed line for 2026 is $40,000 to fund larger planned programming and equipment purchases, including a portable stage and a sound system. Mayor Kloster said the city could "maintain these events with $10,000" but also defended the proposed expansion, saying organizers hope to grow programming and that equipment such as a portable stage and PA system would be reusable across locations.

Council members suggested compromises: one council member proposed capping the events line at $10,000 (noting prior expenditure patterns), while others argued that additional funding would allow expanded teen programming and larger public events. The mayor said a portable stage would allow events at multiple locations and that renting could be considered until usage is established.

The transcript contains no recorded final vote adopting or amending the ordinance; the item remains at second reading with further discussion signaled for upcoming committee and council meetings.

Provenance: discussion and questions on the appropriation ordinance and the events line appear in public comment and council discussion beginning with Raymond Anthony’s remarks (topic introduction) and continuing through the finance/old business discussion recorded during the council's second reading of Ordinance 188-25.