It's getting down to the wire as the deadline for a finished budget for the city of Zanesville approaches.
Tonight at council, an ordinance was passed allowing city officials to enter into a labor agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police/Ohio Labor Council. That agreement includes a three-year pay increase of one-percent the first year, two-percent the second and three-percent for the final year of the contract.
"With the budget being tight, that's a concern," said...
With only five weeks until the final 2010 budget for the City of Zanesville must be in place, council Monday decided furloughs may officially be an option.
An ordinance passed allowing council the authorization to implement a furlough system.
"Should council take one of the options that include furlough days, and should the bargaining units and volunteers and so forth come forth and contract with the administration to accept the furlough days, then and...
Two ordinances relating to the city of Zanesville's 2010 budget are tabled for two weeks.
The first ordinance would allow the administration to implement a furlough system for city employees.
The second ordinance refers to establishing pay, benefit and employment policies for unaffiliated employees.
Chairman of the Budget Committee David Tarbert recommended the ordinances be tabled because the issues haven't been discussed.
A Ways and Means Committee meeting was...
The the Zanesville City Council Budget Committee will take a closer look at the 2010 budget to find where they can save money.
At the work session this evening, Mayor Butch Zwelling proposed several options lessening the amount of furloughs and putting money back in to the Fire Department's funds. The temporary 2010 budge took about $510,000 out of two Fire Department funds to cover a hole in the budget.
Chairman of the committee David Tarbert said the committee will look at...
Budget talks continue for the city of Zanesville with the first meeting of a newly-appointed budget committee.
Tonight the committee addressed the charge of the group as they work through sorting the 2010 budget.
Councilman David Tarbert is heading the committee and says it has two main points.
"One, what do we do to prepare and finalize a 2010 budget," he said. "The $2.6 million deficit has been cut down some, but there is still a deficit. What can we do to...
City Council is taking steps to finalize its 2010 budget.
At tonight's meeting an ordinance was introduced that would give authorization to create a furlough system for city employees. However the ordinance does not authorize furloughs, that is a decision made by Mayor Zwelling.
The ordinance moved to a second reading.
A hearing is scheduled for January 25 to discuss the budget and potential problems and solutions.
"As expected, I heard from all three unions...
There are a few new faces on city council for the new year.
Tonight three members were sworn into their seats on council.
Grant Hutcheson is a first-time council member, representing the second ward.
Andrew Roberts joins council for the first time as Council at Large.
Mark Baker joins council as the first ward council member. Baker previously served four terms, but lost his seat in the last election.
"It's very exciting, for the simple fact that i know most...
The City of Zanesville's big budget problems were threatening to end one city department's existence, but now it looks like that won't be happening thanks to an amendment in the City of Zanesville's 2010 temporary budget.
At last night's city council meeting Mayor Zwelling proposed pulling money from the fire department's salaries and operations budget to fund the city's building and maintenance department for another three months.
"I was proud of the administration for...
The Zanesville city budget is balanced, at least temporarily.
After an earlier budget meeting today City Council voted, with several amendments, to pass the proposed city budget for the year 2010.
"All in all for a temporary budget, it's balanced," said Councilman-at-Large Jeff Tilton. "We have a lot to do to get the permanent budget at the end of March."
After weighing the options over several budget hearings, council made three amendments to the...
It's crunch time for Zanesville's City Council.
Council ordered a special budget work session held this evening to figure out just how to plug a $2.6 million hole in the 2010 budget.
"It's kind of a frustrating night, I think, for everyone involved," said City Council Member at Large Dan Vincent. "We're looking at how we're going to make up money that we don't have for projections for next year. We're looking at furloughs and no one wants that. We have to get...
