With two strikeouts already, Ironton City Council will likely wait until next week before taking another swing at a postponed agenda.

Council met Thursday to consider an agenda that included final adjustments to the 2004 budget and the transfer of property in the South Ironton Industrial Park to the Ironton Port Authority.

However, the items went undiscussed after council voted 4-2 to adjournjust 15 minutes into the meeting when several members took exception to Chairman Jim Tordiff discussing the much-debated - and four times defeated - $10 municipal fee while the meeting was still in the audience participation portion.

A special meeting was called for Friday but was canceled that afternoon when city solicitor Bob Anderson informed council that the meeting would be a violation of the city charter because councilman Brent Pyles did not receive 24-hour notice since he was absent at the Thursday meeting.

Tordiff said he does not plan to call a special meeting and still defends his right to speak about finances and the $10 fee, a topic about which he feels

strongly.

"I don't feel like there was any need for a special meeting in the first place," he said. "We were convened for a regular meeting. They wanted the special meeting so it kind of looks like it is up to them."

Councilman Jesse Roberts joined fellow councilmen Bill Nenni, Richard Price and Bob Isaac in voting to adjourn.

Roberts said that all the business can be taken care of at the next meeting Dec. 23 but that he and several of the others are tired of what they see as the chairman overstepping his bounds and refusing to let the $10 fee die.

"I will tell you now that I will make the motion or support a motion to adjourn if we get preached at again. I am not there to get preached at but we will take care of the city's business," Roberts said. "This may sound childish to the citizens but the meetings are not being run properly according to (standard meeting regulations.) The chairman abuses his privileges."

Though the philosophical differences that have surfaced on council are not likely to go away, Roberts emphasized that he and the others plan to stick to the true goal: Representing the citizens and moving the city forward.