SALEM - City council heard second and third readings on an ordinance to appropriate additional money to the health department for H1N1 vaccinations during a special meeting on Thursday.

With six members present, council was able to suspend statutory rules and pass the ordinance with an emergency clause.

On Wednesday, Councilman Dave Nestic was out of town and Councilwoman Rita Joseph O'Leary was on sick leave, which reduced council to five members when the ordinance was first introduced by Councilman Bret Apple.

It had to be in place by this coming Tuesday "for something on (next) Wednesday," Auditor Jim Armeni said at Wednesday's meeting.

The ordinance appropriates $17,800 in the general fund including a $5,000 transfer to the health fund and a $12,800 advance to it.

It also appropriates $25,600 within the health fund with $6,000 going to regular wages, $6,800 to the H1N1 vaccination project and a $12,800 advance return to the general fund.

O'Leary was absent and excused from last night's meeting.

Councilman Earl A. Schory, president pro tem, presided over the meeting and Nestic asked about the transfer into and out of the different funds.

Apple said the money was needed in advance for overtime and administrative costs adding he spoke with city health Commissioner Rick Setty who advised him there was a 99.9 percent chance the money would be reimbursed at a "point in time."

Apple related that Setty had it in writing that the money would come from the county.

He said it was federal money distributed to the state and then to the county health department.

The city will hold clinics, he said, the largest being at the high school which is a priority.

Nestic asked about the mechanics of the fund transfers, taking money from the general fund, putting it into a line item, and then into another line item to return it to the general fund.

Apple said that was a question for Armeni and Councilman Dennis Groves asked where the $17,800 came from.

Apple said he just learned about that at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and Groves wondered about it being "somewhere in the general fund and used for this." He was confused and Apple agreed with him.

Nestic asked what happens if they didn't pass the ordinance.

Schory replied, "Salem will be unable to give the swine flu shots."

Schory then explained the $17,800 was "new money" that was "never appropriated in the general fund."

He said there will have to be a carryover to cover it.

"There better be unspent funds," he said, "there should be $17,800 in carryover funds," and added there always seems to be a "magical" $100,000 carryover at year end.

Nestic didn't want to "hold up the program" but regarding how the numbers were presented "on the page," he said, "I would like to get a clarification from Mr. Armeni."

Council then approved the ordinance with a 6-0 vote.

Larry Shields can be reached at lshields@salemnews.net