The City Council reinstated 24 budget amendments Tuesday, ending a drawn-out discussion about whether councilmen can approve non-emergency budget changes.
Councilmen voted 5-1, with Ward 5 Councilman Kabir Karriem casting the “no” vote, to add $538,898 in expenditures and $2,834 in revenue to the budget.
The amendments had been approved April 12, but then rescinded April 19 while the city asked for an attorney general”s opinion on state law regulating budgetary practices of municipalities.
But after speaking with several attorneys, state auditors and other officials, Columbus” head officials said they were satisfied that they were legally able to make non-emergency amendments like $88,500 for annexation.
“There”s nothing unusual or out of order (with the amendments),” Mayor Robert Smith said Tuesday.
Chief Operations Officer David Armstrong added that most of the people laughed when he asked them about making budget amendments.
The largest amendments — $157,031 to the fuel budget and $150,000 to the overtime budget for the police department — are considered emergencies.
While he didn”t have a problem with the amendments from a legal standpoint, Karriem questioned whether the council should be dipping into its reserves for non-emergencies.
“I just felt like some of the amendments we voted on could have waited until next year,” he added.
Karriem also said he agreed with Bernsen, who has recently asked the council to wait on non-emergency amendments until next fiscal year.
One non-emergency amendment — to add another several thousand dollars to the $20,000 flower-planting budget — was a hot topic at the last council meeting.
Ward 6 Councilman Bill Gavin argued that flowers could attract new businesses who were looking at Columbus now. Others, like Ward 3 Councilman Charlie Box, argued that the council should abide by its budget.
As of April 5, the city has spent $16,200 on flower planting, according to budget records.
The decision about the amendment for the flower budget was postponed when the other amendments were rescinded April 19.
In other business Tuesday, the council voted in executive session to suspend a police officer for five days after his squad car hydroplaned and crashed during the recent storms.
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