T-L Photo/JOSIE BURKHART Bridgeport Village Council discusses ordinance 2024-48 and a public service announcement before going into a closed-door session during Monday evening’s special meeting.

BRIDGEPORT — Bridgeport Village Council approved one ordinance before going into a closed-door session Monday evening.

Council held a special session for potential business development and appropriations at the municipal building. Solicitor Michael Shaheen read the ordinance at the meeting. A roll call vote took place as council declared an emergency instead of reading the ordinance three times during three different meetings and, because of the emergency, council did a roll call vote to approve dispensing of the three readings. If the ordinance is not time sensitive, it will be read three different times, Shaheen said.

Ordinance 2024-48 states it is an “ordinance for amending and revising specific line items in the appropriations and expenditures for the Village of Bridgeport for the calendar year 2024 and declaring an emergency.” It’s purpose was to officially appropriate some money recently received for the police department so that it can be spent. Shaheen said it was a “significant” amount of money, though he could not recall the specific dollar figure. He did say that it cannot be used for salaries or bonus, but it can be used to purchase equipment, such as bullet-proof vests or vehicles.

Next, Shaheen asked for a motion to approve the ordinance. Council took a roll call vote and approved it.

Council first approved suspending the rules requiring three readings and then approved the ordinance.

Shaheen read a public service announcement next, telling council he was not asking for anyone to take action on it because it was solely a public service announcement.

He said the village has a purchase agreement prepared for a property on South Lincoln Avenue. Legislation had been passed for the village to submit a request for design services and apply for a grant to have it done, but the property needs to be acquired first.

Shaheen said acquiring the property would prevent further damage because a slip already occurred in the village.

“When we get the go ahead, the purchase agreements can be circulated and, at a later meeting, you can authorize the mayor to enter this and make the initial down payment,” Shaheen said. “The way that would work is, there’s a chunk down initially. We double check to make sure there’s no mortgage, and the balance will be paid on it before Dec. 31.”

Council then approved a roll call vote to go into a closed-door session to discuss pending litigation. After returning to regular session, council adjourned the meeting without taking further action.