By Andrew Walsh
awalsh@wbcowqel.com

The budget continues to be the focus of the Bucyrus City Council and its committees throughout the final month of 2015.

Bucyrus City Council lowered appropriations by about $235,000 for the end of 2015 Thursday night. City Council had its joint committee session starting at 6, and Auditor Joyce Schifer ran down a collection of funds that needed appropriations adjustments downwards to get funds in line for the end of the year.

“Revenues have been flat,” was Schifer’s straightforward reasoning for needing to adjust funds downwards.

Some of the funds receiving significant reductions were Police Personal Services being reduced $20,000, Custodian Personal Services being reduced $14,000, Lands and Buildings Contractual Services by $9,000, Lands and Buildings Capital Outlay by $9,000, General Government Contractual Services by $23,400, Sewage Disposal Operations Personal Services by $40,000, and Sewage Disposal Operations Capital Outlay by $45,000.

Two line items that really jumped out were for the New Water Filtration and Distribution Funds, which were lowered by $18,838,217, and $1,550,831 respectively. These amounts are concerning the operation of the new water treatment facility, and are not being removed altogether. They will be re-appropriated in 2016.

Law Clerk Vicki Dishon was in attendance and was unhappy over a proposed transfer of her duties to the Council Clerk. Council discussed moving oversight of the Enterprise Zone to the council clerk. Law Director Robert Ratliff expressed the belief that this would work better with this full-time position.

“Honestly that’s your main reason?” Dishon asked incredulously. “You told me that I had my job and you were happy with my performance.”

Dishon went on to recall a letter she had in her possession from Ratliff that she would be working as long as he was law director, and that she had legal counsel that told her this was a binding contract.

Ultimately, this is something that will be determined by City Council, and Ratliff stated that this was in their purview.

The next meeting will be a special finance committee meeting at 6 p.m. on Dec. 8 in Council Chambers.