The Monticello City Council met last night in Special Session with all members present and Mayor Kenny Catron presiding
The Council opened the meeting with an executive session on litigation. In regular session a long discussion was held on repealing the second monthly meeting the Council has been holding for the last year and a half. Following a 3-3 Council vote, Mayor Catron broke the tie, repealing the Ordinance that added the second meeting. Council members Rachel Chaplin, Alan Hopper and Jamie Ragan voted to eleiminate the secon monthly meeting, while Alan Vaughn, Tracy Sexton and Cody Dishman voted to keep the monthly meeting.
The Council will enter the new year using the past years budget after being unable to agree on the new 2026 budget. Governments are supposed to have a new budget in place by July 1, however after questioning several entries in the upcoming budget, it will be tabled until future meetings. The Council discussed amending the 2024- 25 budget before passing it on a 4 to 2 vote. Members Chaplin, Dishman, Hopper, and Ragna voted infavor of amending the current budget, with Sexton ansd Vaughn voting no.
While discussing the budget, Mayor Catron told the Council the city’s Ladder Fire Truck, which has been in repair for over a year, was returned to the Fire Dept yesterday. Along with the return of the truck, a $67,000 repair bill.
The Council also discussed updating the recently passed Business License Ordinance, mainly the language defining a non profit business. The Business Licenses for the upcoming year is due this Monday.