A budget is on the books for 2022 for the City of Warren.

City Council approved the spending plan during Monday night’s meeting.

But not without some changes.

Jessica Byler, the city’s finance officer, outlined the spending plan and several additions staff were recommending between the last budget hearing and Monday’s meeting.

Three of the changes related to recreation projects — pickleball courts at Betts Park estimated at $77,000, disc golf estimated at $30,000 and an estimated $45,000 to rehabilitate the softball infields at Betts.

Byler recommended council aid the groups fundraising for those projects if the groups raise 50 percent.

The other project is new fencing at the city’s impound lot and potentially cameras that are required for the police department’s accreditation. Police Chief Joe Sproveri said the fencing is projected to cost $10,000 to $15,000 with the rest for Wi-Fi and cameras only if Wi-Fi is available at the site.

Staff recommended adding the funds for these projects to the city’s contingency line.

Councilman John Wortman then made a budget to approve the budget with the funding for the police project but with the recreation funding not included.

“These recreation projects… it’s frills that we’re adding and it’s time to end the frills,” Mayor Maurice Cashman said. “We just keep adding on and adding on (and) want to hold the taxes where it is.”

He cited riverfront development and said he is “uncertain where we really want to go with all this.

At some juncture, we have to stop and take a hard look (at what is affordable). This is the time to start drawing the line.”

“I think each of these projects are worth considering separately,” Wortman explained. “As we continue to find ourselves in budget issues, instead of adding… to keep adding new things that will lead to long-term expenses” the city should “be focused” on offering core services.

Wortman’s motion was approved and the budget does not include any tax increases.

But fee increases did draw divergent views.

City Manager Nancy Freenock said the increases proposed are “in response to changing costs,” with many focused on the city pool which lost $100,000 in 2020.

Ambulance fees were also included for increases with the basic cost of a basic life support response rising from $400 to $800 amid other changes.

Wortman pushed for a motion that would approve the ambulance increases but reject the rest of the increases.

He said that fees are “regressive” with the “largest impact on our poorest citizens.” He called for staff to provide documentation supporting the increases.

His motion failed 4-3 but a motion to approve the increases as presented passed 4-3. However, it’s exceedingly likely that the next council will discuss the issue at the January meeting.

Council also repealed fees related to commercial and residential building code permits as the city will no longer provide the service directly, instead contracting with the firm Project Veritas. That change over happens on Dec. 23.