Two weeks ago, the Roseland town council met for a hearing on the 2008 budget. The absence of town-clerk treasurer, Cheryl Gridley caused the council to delay the hearing, and caused some drama at town hall.

Two days after that, September 14th, the council met again to discuss the budget. At that meeting council member David Snyder was asked to leave and drama unfolded once again.

Tonight was the first time the council met since the now infamous incident. With all three council members present, the 2008 budget was approved

There were no shouting matches, no punches thrown, not even any name calling.

The budget was passed as advertised, and did not include any changes the council tried to make on the 14th.

“We, we’re going on the assumption that we could still change [the budget]. That was the meaning for the second meeting to do some final changes. Well, that was an act of futility. It was a valid meeting, but we accomplished nothing,” Council member Ted Penn says.

Council member Charley Shields says the nearly 600 thousand dollar budget was never a point of contention.

“There really hasn’t been any conflict going through this budget. There hasn’t been any disagreement,” Shields says.

The disagreement that played out during the so-called invalid meeting on the fourteenth was over whose turn it was to speak.

Tonight, with little talk and no vote, Snyder disagrees with the council's decision to pass the budget.

“In my opinion, this budget is of no validity. In January the new council will have to have to do appropriations to get them approved,” Snyder says.