The Jemison City Council voted Monday to table several items on the agenda dealing with the 2012-2013 budget until January.

Councilman George Brasher made a motion to table approval of the 2012-2013 budget until January for further time to look at the budget with the rest of the council voting in favor.

Councilman Rex Bittle asked Mayor Eddie Reed if it was imperative to pass the budget during the meeting.

“How does the city function without approval of the budget?” Bittle asked. “I thought we were supposed to pass this in October.”

Reed said a budget is an outline to follow determining what funding goes into each department.

“If we don’t pass the budget this evening we will just continue with the 2011-2012 budget until we vote to approve the 2012-2013,” Reed said.

Two other agenda items including a motion to approve $5,000 to Child Protect program and $1,500 for P.E.E.C.H. program were also tabled due to council members wanting to see how much money was in the budget before approving the two items.

Reed thanked everyone involved in orchestrating a successful Christmas parade and tree lighting ceremony including city event coordinator Karen McMinn and Jemison librarian, Tammi McGriff as well as the many others who devoted time for the events that took place on Nov. 30 and Dec. 2. “It was a real entertaining Christmas parade and everyone had a wonderful time,” Reed said. “The school, the band, the Girl Scout troop and the Jemison Police Department among many others worked really hard to put on wonderful programs.”

Reed said the Christmas tree lighting event Nov. 30 attracted more than 300 people and thanked everyone who participated in helping to make the event a success.

Reed read a letter written by Thorsby Police Chief Rodney Barnett who thanked the city of Jemison for showing compassionate assistance during the death of Thorsby’s Mayor Dearl Hilyer.

In his letter, Barnett thanked the city of Jemison for the business owners who placed wreaths on the front of their businesses in memory as well as the Jemison Police Department for filling in while Thorsby’s Police Department attended the funeral.

Barnett said it displayed a wonderful partnership between Jemison and Thorsby and made him proud to be a resident of North Chilton.

Reed said the city was happy to help their neighbors in Thorsby during a difficult time.

“We help our neighbors here in Jemison,” Reed said. “We acknowledge that difficult time from the depths of our hearts and will offer future assistance in any way that we can.”

Police Chief Shane Fulmer requested the council approve Freeman Lee Ellison to the 10-man reserve program in Jemison.

Ellison is the son of a current Clanton police officer also named Freeman Lee Ellison.

Fulmer said the reserve program is a program made up of individuals who devote time volunteering for the police department and help the city.

Reed concluded the meeting by announcing the Dec. 17 council meeting would not be in session due to the Christmas holiday and Jan. 7, 2013 would be the next regularly scheduled meeting.