The South Lebanon City Council on Oct. 2 adopted several emergency and routine measures, introduced a new code enforcement officer and received staff reports on the budget, health insurance and public works operations.

The council unanimously adopted Emergency Resolution 2025-41 to authorize the city administrator to execute a project grant agreement and related documents with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for the South Lebanon Community Center Rehabilitation Project. Council members voted to waive the two-reading rule and then adopted the resolution by title.

Council also unanimously adopted Emergency Ordinance 2025-20 to change the city compensation plan for the assistant city administrator from pay grade 7 to pay grade 8. Council members discussed that the position is not currently budgeted as filled but that the reclassification provides flexibility if the position is filled or needed on an interim basis while a city administrator search continues.

Additionally, the council:

- Approved invoices and the meeting minutes of Sept. 18, 2025.
- Approved a then-and-now certificate in the amount of $5,840.64 to Core & Main to authorize payment for the purchase of 27 water meters; the certificate was required because the purchase occurred without a prior purchase order and exceeded the director’s administrative limit.
- Adopted Resolution 2025-39, an agreement with the Warren County Soil and Water Conservation District for calendar year 2026.
- Adopted Ordinance 2025-19, a zoning map amendment rezoning 0.281 acres at 150 North Main Street.

All of the above measures carried on recorded roll calls at the Oct. 2 meeting.

Council members and staff also used the meeting to introduce personnel and give departmental updates. Public Works Director Jerry introduced Chad Minnick as the city’s new code enforcement officer; Minnick said he had about 33 open cases and described community outreach during his first weeks on the job. Finance Director Tina said staff are compiling department requests for next year’s operating and capital budgets, plan to meet with the finance committee in October and intend to begin council-level budget discussions in November with a target to pass the budget in December. Tina said the city has joined the Center for Local Government and is working on moving to that group’s health-insurance offering with an anticipated Jan. 1 transition for employees.

Public Works and safety updates included confirmation of trick-or-treat hours on Oct. 31 from 6 to 8 p.m., continued crack sealing and paving work, an upcoming leaf-pickup schedule that will appear on the water bill, and staffing changes in the county sheriff’s office assigned to South Lebanon.

Why it matters: The adopted HUD authorization enables the city to move forward with rehabilitation work at the community center under a federal project grant agreement; the pay-grade change reflects personnel planning while the city searches for a new city administrator. The then-and-now certificate and other routine approvals allow immediate operational purchases and contracts to move forward.

Votes at a glance:
- Emergency Resolution 2025-41 (authorize HUD project grant agreement) — adopted (unanimous).
- Emergency Ordinance 2025-20 (assistant city administrator pay grade 7→8) — adopted (unanimous).
- Then-and-now certificate $5,840.64 to Core & Main (27 water meters) — approved (unanimous).
- Invoices and meeting minutes (09/18/2025) — approved (unanimous).
- Resolution 2025-39 (Warren County Soil and Water agreement for 2026) — adopted (unanimous).
- Ordinance 2025-19 (rezoning 0.281 acres at 150 North Main Street) — adopted (unanimous).

Council scheduled additional administrative and public events including a ribbon-cutting at Columbia Intermediate School on Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. and an open house for retiring Public Works Director Jerry on Nov. 20. Mayor Burke and staff asked the public to submit questions or materials for follow-up with the appropriate department.

Quotes from the meeting reflect staff summaries and council direction. Finance Director Tina summarized the budget outlook: “It’s definitely more requests than what we have funding available for,” she said, adding staff will meet with the finance committee to set priorities. Code enforcement officer Chad Minnick said of his early work: “I think I have 33 open cases right now, and most of them are complying.”

The council adjourned after routine business.