Now, with less than one-third of the fiscal year left, the city appears to be in a good financial position.
At Monday night’s city board meeting the mayor and aldermen heard and approved the financial reports from Karl Goodman of Bridgers and Goodman., PLLC.
The city is 66 percent into the fiscal year and has a general fund cash balance of $1,310,000. There is also $1,340,000 in the water/sewer fund, $555,833 in the water/sewer-restricted fund and $1,347,000 in the remaining funds for a total of $4,553,000. The city also has $4,148,000 in certificates of deposit.
Goodman said the city is over-budget in revenue and under-budget in expenses in the general fund with regards to the projected amounts. After submitting his report, he surmised that all was “stable” and he didn’t anticipate any problems for the remaining months of the fiscal year. “I hope to see us come out in the end like it’s running right now,” Goodman added.
In other business,
A series of outbursts and disruptions at the last board meeting has prompted Mayor Steve Rosenthal to institute a decree to evict anyone who disrupts the meeting’s proceedings. At that meeting he asked Chief Edrick Hall to remove anyone from the room that violated the diktat.
At Monday’s session Sgt. Irish Johnson was brought in to instruct the group to remain orderly or face expulsion from the meeting. He said that from that night forward, they are to respect the members of the panel, make sure their cell phones are off or on silence and not cause any outburst or they will be asked to leave the meeting and not return.
The aldermen heard and received departmental reports from the cemetery department, public works, park and recreation and the fire department, which reported 10 calls, one structural fire and one fatality due to a car fire. Chief Orlando Battle also invited the city’s youth, ages 7 to 12 to participate in the free Kid’s Fire Academy July 9 to July 12.
In addition, Chief Edrick Hall provided a partial report from his department due to a lightning strike at the headquarters last month that left them without Internet services. The hit also destroyed six computers, a television set, the recording system and a router plus the telephone lines.
He reported 1,282 calls and 289 tickets and acknowledged that more were to follow once all of the information was entered. “There are things I couldn’t produce this month, we’re still trying to get caught up from our power failure,” he said.
At the recommendation of Lake Baird, Gardner Engineering, the lawmakers decided to accept the low bid of $199,213.00 from Pavement Maintenance Unlimited of Denham Springs, Louisiana for a joint sealing and cleaning project as part of the airport improvement for 2018. The acceptance is contingent upon FAA approval. The engineering estimate for the project is $220,000. The only other bidder, Sunbelt Sealing, proposed $223,947.50.
At the request of Kathryn Lancaster, the city lawmakers voted to accept a recommendation to change the animal adoption policy so that no animal will be adopted out without being first spayed or neutered. She also proposed increasing the adoption fee at the animal shelter from $35 to $80, an increase of $45, which is adding in half of the cost to spay and neuter with the humane society board covering the other half.
Alderman Gary Fratesi requested a review of the overtime policy to see exactly what it says. The matter came into question because Fratesi said he believes that with a prior administration, the policy stated the mayor had to sign-off on any non-emergency overtime. Rosenthal said they would check for a written policy.
The city lawmakers voted unanimously to demolish two buildings located at 101 and 103 Main Street after City Inspector Elvis Pernell deemed them a hazard to the public’s safety. Speaking of the 101 building, Pernell said, “This property faces Front Street and you open that door, the complete floor has disintegrated and you have a drop down of about 15 to 20 feet. It’s impossible to repair it.”
Rosenthal asked Attorney Gary Austin if there was any way to recoup some of the money it would cost the city to have the property demolished because he has received an estimate of $20,000. Austin replied that he could add it to the taxes or initiate a lawsuit against the owner. “The chances of getting it out of Sunflower County Ministerial Association are virtually nil,” Austin said.
The Sunflower County Ministerial Alliance owns one building and Guaranty Bank owns the other as a result of a loan default. Rosenthal said the bank was willing to pay their fee.
The board approved several street closings including a part of Park Avenue between Chapman and East Gresham streets during IA home football games.
They also agreed to sign a letter of support for a grant application by Sunflower Humphreys Counties Progress to administer an early Head Start project.
After emerging from executive session,
The city’s lawmakers voted unanimously to promote two firefighters, hire several full-time and part-time firefighters and an additional lifeguard for the city pool plus a police dispatcher.
They also voted to remove one officer and another employee from probationary status, accept the resignation of two police officers, accept the resignation of Interim City Clerk Charlotte Kilgore and one other employee, plus promote deputy clerk Lisa Decker to the position of water department supervisor at $11 per hour.
