GOSHEN — City council passed the 2013 budget with amendment proposals from Mayor Allan Kauffman Tuesday night, but it was Cequent Towing Products employees that took center stage.

Before budget discussions began, Cequent workers and representatives from the United Steelworkers union approached the council with concerns over the potential outsourcing the production of Reese Trailer hitches to factories in Mexico.

Union representatives warned that Cequent’s plans would mean 450 jobs would be lost, both union and non-union.

Kauffman said there would be a meeting in the near future with company officials to discuss what could be done to keep the jobs in the community.

“We would like to see those jobs stay in Goshen also,” Kauffman concluded.

After a brief break, the council reconvened to discuss the 2013 budget.

Taking care of the trash removal service was once again the center of those talks, but the mayor’s most recent proposal to move $800,000 into the Board of Works Fund in order to cover the cost of the service for the year were accepted and amended into the 2013 budget.