Council President Fred Hoffman said Thursday that the mayor didn't abide by a quarterly spending ordinance when he authorized the purchase of road salt earlier in the year without the money there to pay for it and without asking for council's permission.

Several council members took exception to the fact that the salt was purchased without council's approval.

Council had to approve $68,000 of budget transfers Thursday to pay a salt bill that was due April 1.

Council passed an ordinance in 2002 stating that only 25 percent of the money in each line item could be spent by March 31, 50 percent by June 30, 75 percent by Sept. 30 and 100 percent by Dec. 31.

However, Ryan said that ordinance expired at the end of 2002.

The ordinance says it provides for "the quarterly allotment for expenditures or encumbrances of funds during the fiscal year 2002."

Ryan said, in his opinion, he didn't violate a quarterly spending ordinance because the city no longer has one.