SACO — The city has approved some changes to the current year’s budget, approving a draw on the undesignated fund to offset new expenditures.

The city council voted 6-1 Monday night, with Councilor Arthur Tardif opposed, to authorize $26,000 to hire a firm to create a vision statement for the city, $100,000 to complete energy conservation lighting projects, and increase the paving budget by $150,000.

The $26,000 for the visions statement will come from the city’s economic development fund, and $250,000 for the other expenses will come from the city’s undesignated fund.

This will leave about $3.6 million in the undesignated fund, according to the Cheryl Fournier, city finance director.

The additional $150,000 to the paving budget brings it to nearly $786,000, which is a sustainable level, said Public Works Director Patrick Fox.

The three expenditures were proposed earlier in the year, but failed in voting on separate budget amendments when the city’s $23.9 million budget was passed last month.

The council approved the three expenditures and the draw to the undesignated in one motion.

Tardif said he thought the city council should have discussed the budgetary changes at a workshop before voting on them. City Administrator Richard Michaud said the items had been discussed during the budget process, so the workshop requirement had been met.

Tardif said he didn’t think the council should vote on the changes in one package.

Councilor Eric Cote said the package was a compromise, saying that he didn’t want to spend the money for the vision statement, but he was approving the group of changes because he was in favor of the energy conservation projects.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].