Newton City Council approves consent agenda including budget amendments and donations

The Newton City Council unanimously approved its consent agenda at the April 21, 2020 meeting. Council Member Jody Dixon moved to approve the consent agenda and Mayor Pro Tem John Stiver seconded the motion; the council approved the package without recorded objection.

Items approved on the consent agenda (listed in the minutes as A–K) included tax releases and sewer adjustments; consideration of appointments to boards and commissions; revisions to the Public Art Commission bylaws; a budget amendment to provide additional funding for fire department vehicle and building repairs; a budget ordinance amendment to recognize revenue and authorize expenditure for a capital purchase in the FY 2019–2020 budget; budget ordinance amendments to recognize donations and authorize expenditures for traffic safety cones (donation from Walmart) and an appropriation for the Police Department from a donation by Saint Andrew’s Anglican Church of Newton; and proclamations recognizing Child Abuse Prevention Month (April 2020), National Library Week and Telecommunicator’s Week.

The minutes do not list dollar amounts for the budget amendments or details of the appointments; each ordinance, resolution and proclamation is referenced as being on file in the Office of the City Clerk. Council Member Jerry Hodge took the opportunity to thank citizens who volunteered to serve on boards and commissions.

The consent agenda approvals were recorded in the minutes as unanimously adopted. For details on specific budget amounts, the clerk’s file and ordinance documents should be consulted.