On Monday, the city council passed on first reading separate budget appropriation amendments, totaling $20,000, that would help shore up shortfalls caused by state budget cuts in the five offices.

Four of those officers -- Circuit Court Clerk Ann Howard, Commonwealth Attorney Chris Rehak, Commissioner of Revenue Cathy Flinchum and Treasurer Janet Jones -- formed last month the Council Opposition Support Team and pledged to support the people who run against council incumbents Bruce Brown, Laurie Buchwald and Mayor Tom Starnes.

The measures to partially fund each of those offices passed 3-2 Monday, with Starnes and Buchwald voting no.

Brown, who had mentioned at its Oct. 26 meeting using the council's contingency fund to help pay for some of the shortcomings, approved each, saying he hoped it would usher in an era of better communication within the city.

Brown said he did not bow to the pressures of the new group.

"That has absolutely nothing to do with this at all," Brown said. "I do my homework. I look at the situation and I look at the variables and I make my decision based on that."

He said he was disappointed that the "confrontation" had to take place to get council members, including himself, to understand what the constitutional offices really do.

After the meeting, Rehak said the council's early decision was promising for his offices, as well as others within COST.

He said the group's decision to support opposing candidates was entirely separate from budget concerns.

While council would pick up about half of the $14,047 in state cuts in Rehak's office, other city departments still are hurting and aren't being helped, Buchwald said. She said residents understand that and that's why she voted against the appropriations.

"I can, with complete accuracy and honesty, say that as of today, 100 percent of the people who have approached me outside of this council chamber are opposed to using local money to solve the state funding problem for the constitutional offices," she said during the votes.

"Police, fire, library, social services and every other city department is facing the exact same challenges that the constitutional offices are facing and found a way to deal with those devastating cuts."

She said using one-time funding sources will cause long-term problems and set a bad precedent.

The budget actions will be taken up again at the council's next meeting Nov. 23.

The council approved unanimously, without the need for a second reading:

• Moving $7,418 into the public library. That money will come from the books and subscriptions fund.

• Moving $13,497 to the sheriff's department. That money will be taken from courtroom security funds.

• Leaving one vacant police officer's position unfilled to make up $37,176 in cuts to local law enforcement funding.