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Budget committee lays groundwork for November fire-levy, advances salt contract and addresses mayor's court overtime and bond payments
Summary
Budget & Finance committee reviewed the fire-levy intent for the November ballot and agreed to move the intent to council for timely county processing; the committee also approved sending a time-sensitive city salt contract and a resolution to sell surplus pumper engine to council, and asked staff to create a mayor's-court overtime appropriation and to fund bond interest payments after follow-up.
On April 14, the Budget & Finance committee addressed several near-term budget and procurement items and followed up on financial-reporting questions raised by council.
Fire levy: Staff explained the three-stage process to place a fire-levy renewal on the November ballot and said all three stages must be complete by the county deadline (noted as August 5). The committee reviewed the intent-language step (the legal notice to county officials) and confirmed the intent should move forward so Hamilton County can calculate and return the specific millage that will be included in the later "necessity" legislation. Members urged early public outreach ahead of the ballot timeline.
Salt contract: A time-sensitive contract to procure roadway salt for winter 2026 was presented with a May 2 procurement deadline. Councilors agreed to move that contract to council floor at the next meeting to meet the deadline.
Pumper sale: Members reviewed a resolution to declare a city-owned pumper engine surplus and authorize auction; the committee agreed to move the resolution to council floor and noted proceeds were slated to return to the general fund unless otherwise designated.
Financial reports and HKLE questions: Finance staff presented month-end reconciliation procedures and described the timing effects of lump-sum receipts (RITA and property taxes). Councilor Zorb asked about the 2024 HKLE (Hinkle) report line showing a marked increase in the city's disposal bill (Rumpky) and a $255,000 transfer into the street-levy fund; staff committed to investigate and report back with line-item explanations. Staff also described plans to update Ohio Checkbook reporting and to prepare audit materials.
Mayor's court overtime and bond payments: Committee members agreed to create an overtime appropriation line for the mayor's court clerk to address flex-time/overtime handling and discussed whether that funding should be drawn from mayor's-court receipts or the general fund; staff will follow up and recommend the accounting approach. Members also agreed to appropriate $6,525 to cover semiannual bond-interest obligations after confirming the required funding source.
The committee referred the fire-levy intent, salt contract and pumper-sale resolution to council floor and asked staff to return with clarifying budget and line-item information.
