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University Heights council refers 2026 appropriations ordinance to finance committee after removing emergency clause
Summary
At a special Oct. 23 meeting, the City of University Heights referred Ordinance 2025-49 (2026 permanent appropriations) to the Finance Committee and voted to remove an emergency clause; Finance Director Katie Iaconis outlined preliminary budget highlights including staffing requests, equipment needs and a recommended street program.
Vice‑Mayor Michele Weiss called a special meeting of the City of University Heights council to order at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 23. Council members voted unanimously to excuse three absences and moved to refer Ordinance 2025-49 — the proposed permanent appropriations for Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2026 — to the Finance Committee after amending the ordinance to remove its emergency clause.
The amendment to remove the phrase “and declaring an emergency” was proposed by Committee member Winifred Weizer and seconded by Committee member Sheri Sax; Law Director Brad Bryan explained that the emergency language was extraneous because, under state law, an appropriation ordinance becomes effective when passed. The council approved the amendment on a roll call vote with all present voting “aye.”
Finance Director Katie Iaconis provided a preliminary overview of the budget packet the council received that afternoon, calling out several line items and placeholders for committee review. She said the draft includes requests for additional staffing in housing and service, a planned backfill in the fire department for an upcoming retirement, “two police vehicles,” and a Service Department priority of a backhoe estimated at $180,000. Iaconis said the administration recommended a $2 million 2026 street program but noted the detailed options in the report and added that she believed the report’s figures were “about $1.4 or $1.5 million.” She also said the draft carries a $150,000 placeholder for pool repairs and a proposed expansion of senior services with the Community Partnership on Aging at roughly $58,000 per year, as well as funding for ongoing zoning work with ZoneCo and an expansion of the composting program.
Iaconis told council that the revenue estimates in the spreadsheet were conservative and that, as presented, the numbers showed a deficit based on those conservative figures; she said the administration had prepared the budget assuming either a full permanent appropriations schedule or, if council preferred, a temporary budget approach for early 2026 pending committee review.
Mayor Micheal Dylan Brennan asked Iaconis to highlight any items members should note before committee review. Law Director Brad Bryan clarified that removing the emergency clause would make the ordinance effective at the earliest time permitted by law rather than by emergency declaration language; he said he would adjust Section 3 and the ordinance title for the committee packet.
The council voted unanimously to refer the amended Ordinance 2025-49 to the Finance Committee for detailed consideration; no final appropriations vote was taken at the special meeting. The council adjourned at 5:42 p.m.
