Live blogging (4): Mayor's bravura performance ends, so it's on to business, and police funding.

Gahan begins by publicly debating whether or not to pull the resolution. Says he will introduce his request alongside the mayor's (garbage rate fee increase) at the next meeting.

R-09-16 is pulled.

A-09-09 Additional appropriation from EDIT to the police department.

Gahan: Wait for the budget process.

Price: Concerned that we might not be able to make payroll. "Watch the money" right now.

Benedetti: Police manpower a necessity. After the annexation (if it happens), there won't be enough cops on the street.

England: Annexation on January 1.

Messer: What you don't see are the prospective retirements, which could be 20 people within the next few years. Have to begin replsnishing now.

Kevin Zurschmiede: Appreciates frankness all around. Real tough issue for him, but crime's a problem. Credits the police proposal for bringing the city back under control. We have to do it right now.

McLaughlin: Holds copy of the Holland (Michigan) Sentinal. Tells story about the fire department there. The firemen there recommended a pay freeze and cut for the next year. Their departments recognize the need for reductions. Expresses fear that if the council raises rates, he'll get more phone calls.

Benedetti now lectures Price on annexation. Price replies that we have to watch the money, because the annexation bonus might be a while in coming.

Coffey supports Messer (gasp) and says, "Jack's right." Bottom line is that the general fund will never have enough in it, which is why the other monies are used. Points to crime stats in Louisville as evidence that crime is out of control.

Price: "We need to do things like Andy used to do 'em." That's a direct, exact quote.

Gonder: A delay of 18 days until budget hearings won't hurt.

Both England and Benedetti pounce on this, as the budget hearing is for next year.

Benedetti: "Protect the public."

Coffey: "We don't want to address" crime?

Here's the vote. $1 million from EDIT for the police?

No Caesar (changed his vote since the resolution - he explains this to me afterward by saying that the reasoning behind a resolution is very different from the reasoning behind an ordinance)
No Price
No McLaughlin
Aye Benedetti
No Gahan
No Gonder
Aye Messer
Aye Zurschmiede
Aye Coffey

Fails to pass on first reading, 5-4 against. 2nd and 3rd readings next time.

G-09-13 Kemper Project ordinance (2nd and 3rd)
Unanimous both times; passes.

Mayor appeals to the council not to let the 5-4 vote sway them from working together.