SALEM - The Finance Committee agreed to have Ordinance 61, the municipal event line item, redrafted and sent to city council again on Thursday.

The committee met in the morning initially to go over the budget, but Councilwoman Rita Joseph O'Leary, who was absent when the issue was defeated with a tie vote last month, asked if it could be resubmitted.

Committee Chairman Bret Apple said it was his understanding it couldn't be re-read but it could be re-proposed within "this committee" with new legislation written.

The original line item ordinance was first OK'd by the Finance Committee.

During a Sept. 23 special council meeting, at which O'Leary and Council President Tod Mumpire were absent, a third reading of the ordinance, which was proposed the city administration to facilitate the 2010 Quaker City cruise, was defeated.

The fund was proposed to facilitate the weekend cruise and possibly others events.

The issue fell to a deadlocked 3-3 vote and with Mumpire absent, there was no tie-breaker vote.

Mayor Jerry Wolford wanted the legislation for financial transparency and because concessionaires and bands have been calling to reserve places for next year's first (in name) Quaker City Cruise and after party running the weekend of June 10-13, 2010.

The event, taken over by the city, is scheduled to be held in conjunction with the Quaker City Super Nats at Quaker City Raceway.

"We have revenue waiting. I ask council to pass it tonight instead of waiting for the next meeting in three weeks," Wolford told council on Sept. 13 and repeated that again on Sept. 23 when a second reading was heard.

Councilman Earl A. Schory II, acting as president pro tem, presided over that meeting and after a motion by Councilman Clyde Brown to table the ordinance failed, council heard discussion on the third and final reading.

Councilwoman Mary Ann Dzuracky, Councilman Dennis Groves and Brown voted to table it while Schory and Apple and Councilman Dave Nestic wanted to move ahead.

Wolford said, "I was hoping we could get through this tonight."

Following a lengthy discussion, Schory, Groves and Apple vote for it while Brown, Nestic and Dzuracky voted against it.

After the vote, Service Safety Director Steve Andres, who was charged with organizing the event, asked council if the vote meant there would not be an event and Nestic said they could still line up contracts with vendors and other participants.

Wolford shook hands with his council supporters and was asked to respond.

"Not right now," he said and headed for the door.

Brown said he didn't think the city should be involved and should approach economic development differently and not get into entertainment.

"I think there will be an after party," he said.

On Thursday, O'Leary asked if new legislation would be proper and Apple said it was his understanding it would be.

After the meeting, he held up a copy of the original ordinance and said it shouldn't be too difficult for Law Director Brooke Zellers to re-write it.

O'Leary said she liked the idea of a municipal fund and Apple asked if it was just for the Quaker City Cruise and O'Leary said, "no" and it was good the city would have it.

Committee member Dave Nestic said, "ave no problem with having council discuss that and the committee approved it with a 3-0 vote.

Apple said he expects to have the new ordinance ready for Tuesday's council meeting.

In other business, the committee went over several parts of the 2010 trial budget line by line.

Larry Shields can be reached at lshields@salemnews.net