New member, budget on agenda

VW independent staff

The selection of a new council member and the city’s 2025 budget will be the focal point of tonight’s meeting of Van Wert City Council.

Council members are expected to go into executive session almost immediately to interview two applicants for the the vacant second ward seat – Kirby Kelly and Greg Roberts. Council is expected to choose one of them via a vote after the closed door session and that person will be sworn in and will sit in on the remainder of the meeting. The new council member will replace former Councilman Jordan Dettrow, who resigned November 22, after moving to a different ward.

The third and final reading of the city’s proposed 2025 budget is also on tonight’s agenda. It was scheduled for a vote at the previous meeting but was tabled in favor of a vote by the full council.

Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Municipal Building, 515 E. Main St. The meeting is open to the public and will stream live, minus the executive session, on the city’s website, vanwert.org, then will be archived for on-demand viewing.