Amherst council adopts emergency ordinance to reallocate electric department pay accounts

AMHERST — The Amherst City Council on Dec. 15 unanimously adopted an ordinance reallocating money within the electric department’s salaries, wages and overtime accounts to ensure payroll is covered for the remainder of 2025 and declared the measure an emergency.

Madam Chair introduced item 4a, described by the clerk as “an ordinance reappropriating funds in the electric department's salaries and wages and overtime accounts to cover salaries within the balance of 2025 and declaring an emergency.” A councilmember moved to suspend the rule requiring three readings so the ordinance could be adopted on the first reading; that motion passed 7–0 on a roll call vote.

After the suspension passed, a motion to adopt the ordinance was made and seconded. With no further public comment or debate recorded in the transcript, the council adopted the ordinance by a 7–0 vote. The transcript subsequently records the ordinance number as "o 25 49" (transcription unclear); the clerk announced the number following adoption.

The meeting record does not specify dollar amounts, line-item transfers, or which exact salary, wage or overtime accounts were adjusted; those details were not stated in the oral presentation captured in the transcript. The transcript also does not identify the mover or seconder by name for the initial motion to excuse an absent member or for the suspension motion, though the motion to adopt is associated in the record with Mister Heberling making the motion to adopt and an unnamed second. The absent member, Mister Jeffries, was excused from the meeting based on a letter on file.

No additional public testimony or substantive debate on the ordinance is recorded. The meeting adjourned at 7:03 p.m.

The ordinance will take effect immediately by virtue of the council’s emergency declaration, as recorded in the meeting. For the precise ordinance number, transfer amounts and the accounting entries, the city clerk’s written minutes or the finalized ordinance file should be consulted; those specifics are not provided in the transcript.