After a lengthy series of meetings over the past week, Galion City Council met on Dec. 18 for the third reading of the proposed budget for the city for the upcoming new year.

Ordinance 2023-85 was given its third and final reading before members of council. Prior to opening the floor up to a vote, Council President Eric Webber asked council members if there were any further questions they felt needed to be asked.

“I’ve sat around this table many times over the years looking at many budgets, and this is never an easy task,” said council member Mike Richert. “I’d just like to take a minute and thank the people that put this together. The auditor, the Mayor’s Office, especially Ms. Ward, because it is always a difficult thing to put the numbers together.”

Richert then made a motion to pass Ordinance 2023-85 as amended.

Prior to voting, Webber asked Mayor Tom O’Leary if it would be possible for members of council to receive previous years budget information further in advance when this process begins for the 2025 budget so as to avoid a lengthy series of meetings once again in the future.

“I don’t know what to say to that,” said O’Leary. “Yes, we will endeavor to do that. The reason we have had these extra meetings has nothing to do with the Mayor’s Office or the Auditor’s Office, let’s get that straight. These extra meetings have had to do with extenuating circumstances on council.”

With that, a vote was taken and the ordinance was passed.

Reach Erin Miller at [email protected].