Mayor Can Sponsor Events Without Council Vote

City council gave Mayor Merle Gorden the go-ahead to sponsor civic and community events costing up to $2,500 without passing a resolution.

The amended ordinance, passed at Monday’s council meeting, allows the mayor to sponsor events without waiting for council to pass a resolution, as long as the sponsorship costs no more than $2,500 and does not surpass the city’s annual $30,000 budget for city participation in community events.

The sponsorship permission was added to an ordinance that sets this annual budget and already allows individual employees to spend up to $500 to attend such events without a council vote.

Tina Turick, Gorden’s administrative assistant, added that Gorden tells Council when he approves money for events, even if it falls within these spending limits and he’s not required to get a vote from them explicitly approving it.