COLUMBIANA — During Tuesday’s regular council meeting, members approved a budget of over $43 million for 2025.

The appropriations for the year ending Dec. 31 include: police, $2,079,928.49; mayor and administrative, $3,909,013.30; $478,151.90 streets (excluding road salt); $300,703.26 cemetery; $615,544.30 parks; $473,781.17 fire (from the levy fund); $2,484,329.47 water; $3,626,931.34 sewer; $10,008,717.70 electric; and $4,116,818.37 income tax.

Although police departments usually are the largest part of a budget with law enforcement, it is not the case with Columbiana, which is an American Municipal Power community.

“The electric fund is so lane because of the cost of electricity plus the electrical equipment, but this is mostly a pass through,” city Finance Director Kevin Smith explained. In the case of the mayor and administration portion of the budget, which is shown to be $3,909,013.30, only a $243, 511.38 of that is earmarked to cover wags and benefits with the just more than $2.6 million set aside for department expenses. Those expenses include purchase of the new city hall for $2.3 million of that, making the actual administrative costs around $300,000, according to Smith.

The $75,000 budget for road salt is funded out of the city’s State Highway Improvement Fund, which has proceeds from the state’s motor vehicle and gas tax revenues.

The city’s EMS services is funded out of the Public Safety Vehicle Service Fund with $242,859.99 set aside for paramedic wages and benefits plus another $199,724 set aside for equipment.

City officials has earmarked some of its remaining America Rescue Plan Funds toward EMS wages as well, according to Smith.

Smith said that the sewer budget also is higher this year due to the inclusion of the Lakefront Lift Station project, which is budgeted to exceed $2 million.

The first reading of the appropriation received unanimous approval Tuesday night and will receive two more readings at subsequent meetings before being officially approved.

Council next meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 18, in council chambers within the municipal building.