T-L Photo/CARRI GRAHAM Bridgeport Village Council approves a new ordinance and resolutions at Tuesday night’s meeting. From left, mayor David Smith, solicitor Michael Shaheen and police chief John Bumba.

BRIDGEPORT — After much consulting between the village and the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office, village council unanimously approved the Fiscal Year 2019 budget.

Bridgeport Mayor David Smith thanked two workers with the auditor’s office, and council president Marvin Husarik, for their cooperation in passing the village’s budget, now more than 60 percent of the way through the year. Husarik said FY 2020’s budget would need to be completed by the end of the year.

“Mr. Husarik, who has been working urgently with Mr. (Bob) Burlenski and Mr. (Justin) Sloan trying to get this appropriations ordinance drafted,” said when introducing Marvin Husarik, president of council, at the meeting.

Husarik said the village departments will be working at a “bare minimum” capacity for the rest of the year, as per the financial recovery plan submitted and approved by council in June. The approximate budget for the entire budget for the village is $780,000, he said.

“This need to be passed. There will be a meeting with the state finance officers on (Aug.) 28, we’ll have that meeting … here (at the municipal building),” Husarik said. “We have to have this thing adopted by the time we sit down with them, because their recommendation for the fiscal emergency is to abide by the financial recovery plan.”

Council must abide by the figures in the ordinance going forward, he said.

“I feel confident with the figures here, if we adhere to this in the fourth year, going forward, then we should see some real good light to get out of this financial problem,” Husarik said.

A motion was made to suspend the rules to pass the ordinance. Smith explained the suspension of rules as necessary due to the fiscal state of the village.

“When an ordinance comes up that should be passed immediately, due to emergency, whether it comes with finances or public health safety or welfare, there’s a procedure in place that allows for the three readings to be suspended with, and … it requires a two-thirds vote by village council,” he said.

Councilman Allan Blanchard made the motion to approve the ordinance, and Ben Lenz seconded the motion. The ordinance to pass the 2019 budget was unanimously approved by council.

In other matters, council passed a resolution to authorize the village to hire Chris Kirby for the position of village fiscal officer.

“The village has been in search of a fiscal officer in excess of a year,” Shaheen said.

Kirby was recommended by Burlenski and Sloan to fill the position of visiting clerk. The resolution was unanimously passed.

Council also approved the selling of the Mylan property on Old Cadiz Road, Southwest of the Weeks Cemetery. The property includes more than 17 acres and bids must be received by 3 p.m. September 16. The minimum bid is $42,85. Bids will be read the following day at the council meeting.

Additionally, Smith reminded residents that Kirkwood Heights Road from Adams Street West to the corporate limit will be down to one lane for landscaping work between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.