City Council reviews proposed $24.6M budget, tables tornado-related loan decision
London City Council conducted a first reading of its proposed $24.6 million budget for fiscal year 2025–26 during a special-called meeting Monday evening.
The proposed appropriations include:
— General Fund: $16,181,500
— Garbage Fund: $7,043,000
— Municipal Aid Program: $177,000
— Alcohol Fund: $1,225,000
— LGEA Funds: None.
At the start of Monday's meeting, Council Member Judd Weaver announced that fellow councilperson Anthony Ortega was absent due to his father's passing.
Stacy Benge made a motion to approve the first reading of the discussed budget — Ordinance 2025-08 — which was seconded by Council Member Justin Young and unanimously approved.
The second reading and final adoption of the budget is scheduled for a special-called meeting at 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 16. The budget ordinance is the only item planned for that meeting's agenda.
Benge requested that the proposed ordinance be posted to the city's website in advance so the public can view it, to which Mayor Randall Weddle agreed.
During the discussion, Benge said he had previously asked about a new $60,000 line in the clerk's department labeled 'payroll.' He confirmed with Mayor Weddle that the line reflects a new payroll processing system (BambooHR) and is not tied to additional staffing as he originally thought.
Benge also questioned the city fire department's salary increase from $875,000 last year to $1.18 million. Weddle said the fire department had been understaffed and underpaid, and that two part-time firefighters were added this year, along with raises and budget flexibility to cover growing manpower needs for community events.
Fire Chief Donnie Hale confirmed the department remains below staffing standards at this time.
'According to NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards, we're supposed to have seven people per shift. We only have five,' Hale said. 'When I came in, there were three.'
Chief Hale added that while the department has about 25 volunteers on the roster, only a few regularly respond. He said incentives are not currently offered due to budget limitations.
Young went on to ask how the city handles unplanned costs for events, to which Mayor Weddle said such expenses are addressed through contingency funds. Weddle also confirmed that the city has enough funding to operate through the end of the current fiscal year. The budget includes adjustments for current staffing and anticipated operational needs.
The council went on to discuss a proposed loan to cover approximately $350,000 in tornado-related payroll expenses. Weddle said that while the city technically has the funds to cover the cost, the loan would help ensure that critical infrastructure projects, such as road paving and bridge repairs, could proceed without being affected.
'It's a $100,000 to $130,000 project every time we touch one of these bridges,' Weddle said.
Council members expressed concerns about interest costs and public opposition. Particularly, Jim Baker questioned borrowing when funds are available, and Weaver said residents had raised concerns to him.
Benge moved to table the loan discussion until the council's regular meeting in August. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
The council's upcoming meeting will take place next Monday. To watch the livestream, visit The City of London Facebook page.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Motor Trend
a day ago
- Motor Trend
Another Dumb Electrical Code Change Could Ban DIY EV Charger Installs
If the 2026 edition of the National Electrical Code is approved as proposed, it will become illegal in coming years for many U.S. homeowners to install their own EV chargers. The only thing stopping this from happening is a last-chance motion supported by Rivian to strike the clause from the code at the National Fire Protection Association's annual technical meeting on Friday, June 20, 2025. A proposed 2026 National Electrical Code change could make it illegal for homeowners to install their own EV chargers. Rivian and other stakeholders oppose this, fearing it will encourage unsafe workarounds. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next The change stems from a new addition to the 2026 NEC that reads, 'Permanently installed electric vehicle power transfer system equipment shall be installed by qualified persons.' As proposed, the 2026 NEC defines a qualified person in vague terms likely to be interpreted by states and code enforcement departments to mean a licensed electrician. The problem with the proposed language is that making do-it-yourself installations illegal doesn't necessarily stop homeowners from doing their own electrical work. It does guarantee, however, that any EV chargers put in by amateurs will be installed without the appropriate permit and the accompanying safety inspection. On Friday, NFPA members will vote on a motion to erase the qualified person requirement from the 2026 NEC. If that motion fails, the proposed language will become official code. The National Electric Code eventually becomes law when it's adopted by individual states. Legislatures can choose to modify or exclude certain sections (or even ignore the latest edition entirely), but many approve it with few or no changes. The drive to reject the qualified installer provision has public support from Rivian, the Electric Vehicle Charging Association, home-charger company Emporia, and other charging stakeholders. The companies have signed a letter that states, 'To ensure safety the goal should be that homeowners get a local building permit, and have their work inspected. Article 625.4 creates a new barrier to getting such a permit, and has a perverse incentive for the homeowner to lie and say they are installing a receptacle for a non-EV purpose.' The second part of that statement alludes to a back door homeowners could use to permit their EV charger installations in the future. Because there is no qualified person requirement for residential installation of devices such as water heaters and stoves, a DIYer could install a NEMA 14-50 outlet claiming they plan to use it for a welder and then plug in an EV charger after final inspection. The letter signed by Rivian also raises concerns that the above workaround creates a disincentive for hard-wiring EV chargers, which charging experts agree is safer than using plug-in units. Cheap 240-volt outlets are susceptible to overheating, which can start a fire. NFPA members will also decide Friday if the 2026 NEC will incorporate a second change that could make EV charging at home and at public stations less reliable. As we wrote in January, the proposed revisions require a ground-fault circuit interrupter with a five-milliamp trip threshold on every EV charging circuit. This would be in addition to the charge circuit interrupting device already built into every EV charger. On a high-power circuit like an EV charger, the low five-milliamp threshold will lead to frequent (and unnecessary) 'nuisance trips' caused by wet cables or standard charging behavior. Restoring electricity to the charger in these situation will likely require someone to reset the GFCI at the panel, which is often behind a locked door for public chargers. As with the qualified installer requirement, the GFCI addition is being contested at the NFPA annual technical meeting with a motion to remove it. Tesla, Rivian, ChargePoint, EVgo, and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents dozens of automakers and suppliers, have all signed a letter of support for the motion.
Business Upturn
6 days ago
- Business Upturn
New ServiceTrade Inspections Delivers Unprecedented Efficiency and Revenue Growth Opportunities for Commercial Fire Contractors
By GlobeNewswire Published on June 16, 2025, 18:00 IST DURHAM, N.C., June 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ServiceTrade, Inc., the industry-leading provider of field service management solutions that enable commercial service contractors to build stronger, more profitable businesses, today announced ServiceTrade InspectionsTM. ServiceTrade Inspections is the only solution for fire inspection and compliance management that is fully integrated within a field service management platform. The expanded functionality streamlines every aspect of the inspection workflow through a single, mobile user interface, enabling greater efficiency, increased revenue, and superior customer service. 'We've been in the trenches with commercial fire service providers for over a decade––we understand their challenges, and we know how integrated inspections functionality can streamline operations and add efficiency to improve their business performance,' said William Chaney, CEO of ServiceTrade. 'We're excited to bring the next generation of inspection technology to them within ServiceTrade.' Fully integrated within ServiceTrade's field service management platform, the new functionality consolidates essential inspection management capabilities in a seamless experience that accelerates inspections and maximizes technician productivity. Rather than dealing with administrative paperwork, technicians can focus on performing inspections, testing, and maintenance work. ServiceTrade captures inspection data once and puts it to work everywhere—automating deficiency creation, updating asset information, and creating polished customer-ready reports in less time. ServiceTrade Inspections includes: A Unified Mobile App for Service and Inspections: Technicians perform inspections via the ServiceTrade mobile application, designed specifically to meet the demands of fire protection work—streamlined, accurate, and easy to use in the field. The app boosts speed, reduces training time, and improves field adoption. Technicians perform inspections via the ServiceTrade mobile application, designed specifically to meet the demands of fire protection work—streamlined, accurate, and easy to use in the field. The app boosts speed, reduces training time, and improves field adoption. A Comprehensive Mobile Inspection Forms Library: ServiceTrade Inspections offers an extensive library of NFPA and AES forms. The library includes forms required by joint commission-accredited organizations, such as major healthcare providers, hospitals, schools, Class A office buildings, apartment complexes, high-rises, and industrial facilities. ServiceTrade Inspections offers an extensive library of NFPA and AES forms. The library includes forms required by joint commission-accredited organizations, such as major healthcare providers, hospitals, schools, Class A office buildings, apartment complexes, high-rises, and industrial facilities. Intelligent Inspection Report Generation: Inspection results are automatically transformed into polished, customer-ready compliance reports that can be reviewed, approved, and delivered without delay. Inspection results are automatically transformed into polished, customer-ready compliance reports that can be reviewed, approved, and delivered without delay. Automated Deficiency Management: ServiceTrade streamlines the entire lifecycle of deficiency management—from the moment a technician in the field identifies an issue, to generating revenue from the repair. Technicians can easily document deficiencies, which are instantly added to the NFPA report and converted into ready-to-quote records in ServiceTrade. Duplicate data entry is eliminated, enabling quicker customer approvals, ensuring full compliance, and accelerating repair revenue. ServiceTrade streamlines the entire lifecycle of deficiency management—from the moment a technician in the field identifies an issue, to generating revenue from the repair. Technicians can easily document deficiencies, which are instantly added to the NFPA report and converted into ready-to-quote records in ServiceTrade. Duplicate data entry is eliminated, enabling quicker customer approvals, ensuring full compliance, and accelerating repair revenue. Integrated field-to-office workflow: ServiceTrade Inspections improves field-to-office coordination with real-time status tracking, transparent revision history, and seamless in-platform form editing. 'Inspection and deficiency repair work is an engine of predictable revenue and growth for fire protection contractors,' said Brook Bock, CPO at ServiceTrade. 'ServiceTrade's new built-in inspections functionality makes it easier for contractors to take advantage of this desirable work without compromising on capabilities or implementing multiple software products to support both inspections and operations. ServiceTrade's all-in-one service capabilities include inspections, quotes, repairs, and compliance reporting. It is purpose-built to help fire service contractors build stronger, more efficient, and more profitable businesses.' ServiceTrade Inspections combines state-of-the-art technology with deep expertise in the fire protection industry in a single, complete solution. ServiceTrade enables contractors to: Win and retain premium customers by delivering superior, code-compliant inspection services. Drive additional revenue by identifying more deficiencies and performing more repairs. Mitigate risk through accurate inspections and a comprehensive digital record. Streamline technician workflows with fingertip access to digital, code-compliant inspection forms. Eliminate manual data entry and lost paperwork. Boost technician productivity and confidence with intuitive digital tools and AI assistants that enable every technician to sound like a professional. Simplify cross-organizational workflows, including sales, field service delivery, and office operations. Provide end-customer with proactive and detailed information that fosters trust and strengthens customer satisfaction. Unlike general inspection management solutions, which often lack industry-specific features, forms, and integrations, ServiceTrade Inspections is specifically designed for fire protection contractors. Joshua Gilbert, Vice President of Operations of Desert Fire, commented: 'ServiceTrade does three things simultaneously – it creates the report and maps everything for compliance, tracks all deficiencies so we can generate quotes and send work acknowledgments to customers, all from one mobile interface. Once we started tracking how quickly we moved from deficiency to quote to job to invoice, our revenue skyrocketed because nothing was getting missed anymore.' ServiceTrade Inspections is now available for purchase, with implementations beginning this Fall. To learn more about ServiceTrade: ABOUT SERVICETRADE ServiceTrade helps commercial service contractors build stronger, more profitable businesses. With over a decade of category leadership and more than 1,300 customers, ServiceTrade's end-to-end platform streamlines operations from the field to the back office, improves technician productivity, and strengthens customer relationships from contract to invoice. ServiceTrade powers the modern commercial contractor. Learn more at . Contact: [email protected] Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
City Council reviews proposed $24.6M budget, tables tornado-related loan decision
London City Council conducted a first reading of its proposed $24.6 million budget for fiscal year 2025–26 during a special-called meeting Monday evening. The proposed appropriations include: — General Fund: $16,181,500 — Garbage Fund: $7,043,000 — Municipal Aid Program: $177,000 — Alcohol Fund: $1,225,000 — LGEA Funds: None. At the start of Monday's meeting, Council Member Judd Weaver announced that fellow councilperson Anthony Ortega was absent due to his father's passing. Stacy Benge made a motion to approve the first reading of the discussed budget — Ordinance 2025-08 — which was seconded by Council Member Justin Young and unanimously approved. The second reading and final adoption of the budget is scheduled for a special-called meeting at 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 16. The budget ordinance is the only item planned for that meeting's agenda. Benge requested that the proposed ordinance be posted to the city's website in advance so the public can view it, to which Mayor Randall Weddle agreed. During the discussion, Benge said he had previously asked about a new $60,000 line in the clerk's department labeled 'payroll.' He confirmed with Mayor Weddle that the line reflects a new payroll processing system (BambooHR) and is not tied to additional staffing as he originally thought. Benge also questioned the city fire department's salary increase from $875,000 last year to $1.18 million. Weddle said the fire department had been understaffed and underpaid, and that two part-time firefighters were added this year, along with raises and budget flexibility to cover growing manpower needs for community events. Fire Chief Donnie Hale confirmed the department remains below staffing standards at this time. 'According to NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards, we're supposed to have seven people per shift. We only have five,' Hale said. 'When I came in, there were three.' Chief Hale added that while the department has about 25 volunteers on the roster, only a few regularly respond. He said incentives are not currently offered due to budget limitations. Young went on to ask how the city handles unplanned costs for events, to which Mayor Weddle said such expenses are addressed through contingency funds. Weddle also confirmed that the city has enough funding to operate through the end of the current fiscal year. The budget includes adjustments for current staffing and anticipated operational needs. The council went on to discuss a proposed loan to cover approximately $350,000 in tornado-related payroll expenses. Weddle said that while the city technically has the funds to cover the cost, the loan would help ensure that critical infrastructure projects, such as road paving and bridge repairs, could proceed without being affected. 'It's a $100,000 to $130,000 project every time we touch one of these bridges,' Weddle said. Council members expressed concerns about interest costs and public opposition. Particularly, Jim Baker questioned borrowing when funds are available, and Weaver said residents had raised concerns to him. Benge moved to table the loan discussion until the council's regular meeting in August. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously. The council's upcoming meeting will take place next Monday. To watch the livestream, visit The City of London Facebook page.
