Clanton’s City Council approved a $10.4 million budget for the new fiscal year at its meeting Monday.

Mayor Billy Joe Driver presented the budget at the council’s last meeting, on Sept. 24, but council members wanted time to look it over before signing off.

So, the council at the time approved a $9.87 million budget that was in place the previous fiscal year. The budget that was passed Monday will be the city’s operational budget for Fiscal Year 2012-13.

Before the city’s government could look to the next fiscal year, though, there were several pressing financial issues to address.

The council approved spending an additional $25,000 on a project at the Chilton County Airport. Driver said the Airport Authority didn’t receive as much grant money as expected, but the city was willing to help foot the bill for the project to improve the airport’s runway.

The council also approved changing the bid order for the project to construct the city’s third fire station. Driver said an unexpected expense arose and will cost an extra $15,000 over the course of building the station, which will be located just off Interstate 65 Exit 212.

One measure taken by the council will likely lead to money coming in instead of going out: the council raised the issuance fee for a business license from $5 to $10. Driver said the new rate is more in line with surrounding municipalities, and the state has recently passed legislation to raise the maximum amount that can be charged to $12.

In other business, the council:

•Heard from Jessie Binion about her desire for each council member to hold a town hall meeting every three months in the council member’s district. Binion also said she would like to see the new council finish a sewer project in the West End community and work toward reducing loitering by young people in the community.

•Scheduled a swearing-in ceremony for the new council for 9 a.m. on Nov. 5, with an organizational meeting to follow at 11 a.m.

•Accepted the resignation of Tyler Mims from the Clanton Fire Department and approved Craig Sykes to take his place.