GALION — Last week’s city council meeting was a little longer than usual, but a lot was accomplished.

After a lengthy executive session to discuss contracts with two City of Galion unions, council members unanimously approved both. They are for three years. One is between the city and Local 2243, Council 8 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

The second, also a three-year deal, involved agreement on a deal between the city and Local 435 of the International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO.

Dr. Thomas Fellner was absent from Tuesday’s meeting, so all issues that were passed or moved on were by 6-0 votes.

Both contract go into effect Jan. 1, 2020. There are still two more bargaining units that have contract renewals coming up. Both involve Galion Police Department.

“I just want to thank everyone for approving these,” said Galion mayor Tom O’Leary. “It’s good to have this out of the way.”

In other action, city council approved a change to the City of Galion Codified Ordinances that will now allow a business in the uptown area that does tattooing and body piercing. The changes also will allow micro-blading.

The change makes it legal for a current Galion current business to open a tattoo parlor.

At a council meeting in September, Galion business man Brett Bennett, an owner of Downtown Vapor Lounge, told council members of his intent to open a tattoo parlor.

“The stigma of tattoos and tattoo parlors have changed,” Bennett said. “It’s not like it was before. Not all guys with tattoos are bad guys.”

Bennett hopes to open his business on Harding Way East, not far from Downtown Vapor Lounge.

Bennett will have to comply with state regulations when it comes to the tattoo parlor. The change approved Tuesday does away with language guidelines that made it impossible to open one in the downtown area.

A public hearing was held before the council meeting about the tattoo parlor legislation, but no one signed up to speak for or against the legislation during the hearing.

Council members also approved the vacation of an alley on Green Avenue, with neighbors in the area having already signed off on the closure.

City Council also approved spending requests for grants it received recently. One of the grants involves the efforts by the City of Galion Health Department to provide more testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Health director Trish Factor was on hand to answer questions about the spending requests.