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Garfield council approves ordinances, appoints attorney, selects auditor and amends budget
Summary
At the Jan. 13 Garfield City Council meeting the council approved Ordinance 225 (disposal controls) with an emergency clause, approved Ordinance 226 annexation (effective in 30 days), adopted several resolutions including council rules and code of conduct, retained an auditor for 2025 procedures, and approved an amended General Fund 2026 budget correcting several line-item errors.
The Garfield City Council on Jan. 13 cleared a slate of administrative and regulatory actions, approving ordinances and resolutions, selecting an auditor and adopting an amended General Fund budget.
Mayor Gary Blackburn reintroduced Ordinance 225 to control disposal of dirt and construction debris. After the council read the ordinance by title, it suspended the rule to read the ordinance three times, approved Ordinance 225 and invoked the emergency clause to make it effective immediately.
The council also approved Ordinance 226 (Fortner annexation); the ordinance was approved after a title-only reading and suspension of the three-reading rule and will take effect in 30 days. Planning Commission Chair Patricia Lee answered council questions relating to a separate proposed subdivision moratorium (Ordinance 227), which the council tabled until February 2026 for further commission review.
On administrative matters, the council approved Resolution 224 (Council Rules for Meetings 2026), Resolution 225 (Council Code of Conduct 2026) and Resolution 226 appointing the city attorney; each passed by unanimous vote. For fiscal oversight the council reviewed bids and retained Turner, Rodgers, Manning & Plyler to perform the 2025 Agreed Upon Procedure. The transcript lists Berry and Associates as a lower retainer bid, but the council voted to retain Turner, Rodgers, Manning & Plyler for the 2025 work (motion by Teeselink; second Rambo; unanimous).
Councilors discovered errors in the proposed 2026 General Fund budget and presented an amended budget. Noted corrections included a Code Enforcement salary line wrongly entered as $52,000 (correct amount $5,200), a Street Employee line corrected to $20,000 (was zero) and a Water Employee line corrected to $55,123 (was zero). Council Member Rambo moved to approve the amended General Fund 2026 Budget; the motion passed unanimously.
All roll-call votes recorded in the transcript list Council Members Rambo and Teeselink voting in the affirmative and Council Member Kitterman voting by phone; Council Member Smead was absent.
