After defeating seven motions and letting two die for lack of seconds, the Lampasas City Council on Monday night approved a 2009/ 2010 budget that will keep the police department staffed at its current levels, even if an officer resigns.

During budget planning sessions in August, City Manager Michael Stoldt suggested not hiring a replacement if an officer leaves during the upcoming fiscal year, which will begin Oct. 1. At the time, the city manager said Lampasas would be staffed adequately with 17 police officers instead of the current 18. During budgeting sessions, Stoldt added that a cut through attrition could save the city about $50,000.

Stoldt reversed his proposal on Monday night, however, when the City Council -- with member John Cole absent -- reached several 3-3 votes and for about 30 minutes was unable to agree on the first reading of the budget ordinance.

The budget could have taken effect even without a majority vote, Stoldt said, although the city manager cautioned that "that is not the way to do this."

Mayor Judy Hetherly eventually broke the tie, as she reversed her earlier vote to cut one officer position through attrition. The mayor agreed to vote for the budget and to hire a new officer should one leave during the upcoming fiscal year.

On the tenth motion, the council finally passed the first reading of the budget ordinance. The first reading called for employing the same number of police officers as the city does now and transferring $36,656 from water fund reserves to add a second employee at the Lampasas Animal Shelter.

As approved in the first reading, the budget also includes a change from a Scott & White health maintenance organization insurance plan to a preferred provider plan in which city workers will pay a deductible plus 20 percent of their medical costs.

Employees have the option of letting the city deduct additional dollars from their paychecks to keep their current HMO benefits, Stoldt said.

Ms. Hetherly, Mayor Pro Tem Les Gerhardt, and council members Wanda Bierschwale and Jerry Grayson voted in favor of the budget. Councilmen Brad Neely and Evan Stubbs were opposed.

During consideration of earlier motions, Gerhardt, Grayson and Mrs. Bierschwale expressed opposition to eliminating a police officer position through attrition. Neely and Stubbs favored the police force reduction as a way to save salary expenses.

Grayson also said he wanted to transfer $59,830 from water fund reserves to keep the city's current HMO plan. To pass the budget, however, Grayson eventually agreed to vote for an 80/20 PPO plan with a deductible.

During discussion of a budget compromise, Stubbs said he was willing to drop his opposition to funding a second animal shelter employee.

After approving the first reading of the budget ordinance, the council then voted 6-0 to OK the first reading of an ordinance to set the upcoming fiscal year's tax rate at 39 cents per $100 of property tax valuation. That property tax rate is the same as the rate now in effect.

The second reading of budget and tax rate ordinances will occur during the City Council's regular meeting at 7 p.m. on Sept. 28.