Kent City Council members approved about a $40.5 million budget for the 2010 fiscal year at last night’s meeting. The budget, which passed by a 7 to 2 vote, will take effect within 30 days.

Near the end of the two-hour meeting, Ward 4 Councilman John Kuhar said he voted against the proposed budget because he thinks the city is spending more money than it has available.

Ward 3 Councilman Wayne Wilson disagreed with dissenters’ concerns about the budget being too large or containing too much frivolous spending.

“The bottom line it comes down to is if you want to knock $5 million out for your own feelings or whatever, you’re going to have to knock programs,” Wilson said. “Those programs are the ones we put in there. The staff doesn’t put the programs in — we put the programs in.

“If we don’t want them in there anymore, we can tell them no more plowing, no more sending water down the pipes.”

The council also approved plans:

• for the city to extend emergency rescue and medical services to the village of Sugar Bush Knolls through the end of the year.

• to apply for funding for construction of the Portage Hike and Bike Trail on the university gateway.

• to apply for funding to repave East Summit Street and Crain Avenue.

— Nicole Stempak