GALION — In an otherwise standard November council meeting filled with miscellaneous ordinances to finish out the year, Galion City Council members and administration engaged in a hearty debate over the 2019 budget.
Tuesday evening, council had its first look at the 2019 annual budget. Galion First Ward Representative Bill Comerford asked some questions about how payroll was budgeted for the city’s fire and police departments.
The question led to further questioning about numerous areas of the budget from Councilmen Gail Baldinger and Mark Triplett.
After lengthy discussion leading to no real resolution for Baldinger and Triplett, when the vote on the first reading of the budget was taken, both council members voted against the budget, which passed 4-2.
In other council business, council approved to accept a state grant to fund Galion’s Victim’s Assistance Program in the amount of more than $16,000. Council also moved $103,000 of unappropriated funds to help cover the costs related to the ongoing Southeast Storm Water Project. Both ordinances passed in their first readings.