By L. Parsons The Winslow City Council was also offered a status update by City Manager John Barkley during its meeting last week. In it he said, “We are working on opening up our city facilities. City Hall is open and allowing just one person at a time inside. All of our facilities are phasing in a reopening and we plan to handle that delicately. Our library is providing curbside pickup service and Wi-Fi access in the vicinity of the library from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Our transfer station and Winslow Transit programs are both up and running at full service. We are moving in the right direction so come see us at City Hall but we are encouraging everyone to take advantage of online services and of course, if you are experiencing symptoms, don’t come see us at City Hall.” He also informed the public that automatic payment machines are online at McHood Park. No cash will be accepted at the machines and daily parking passes are $7. “There are options for annual passes and that sort of thing, that you can get information about at City Hall.” Winslow Finance Director Elias Jouen addressed council. In addition to giving his monthly financial report, Jouen also addressed accusations made against his department last year and presented the annual expenditure limitation report. “The expenditure limitation report must be certified at year end with an independent CPA firm and filed with the Auditor General’s Office, which we have done. It is not typical to present this report to council but I feel compelled to bring in this report this year because of harsh accusations targeted towards me this time last year by one of my former employees.” Jouen referenced a Tribune News article from July 30 last year which said, “Mr. Jouen made up numbers to make the budget appear to come in under the Economic Estimate Commissions expenditure limitation, when in fact the budget exceeds that limit by well over half a million dollars.” He continued, “Before you is the final report based on actual expenditures for that year that shows the total expenditures including allowable exclusions came to $17 million, that is $760,022 below the EEC estimate. So that is a $1.2 million gap between what she says and the facts filed with the Auditor General’s Office. So, I take exception for those accusations, but the sad part is that some people actually believed it and went on cheering for her. What matters is, at the end of the year that’s what matters, the actuals.” The monthly report revealed that citywide expenditures for March were $1.4 million and year-to-date expenditures totaled $12.2 million. Revenues for the month were $1.37 million and year-to-date citywide revenues came to just under $12 million, according to Jouen. In other business, and in the absence of Mayor Tom McCauley, the council: * Approved a resolution ordering and calling an election in the City of Winslow to be held Nov. 3 to extend the existing one percent sales tax an additional five years from July 15, 2021. * Approved a resolution ordering and calling for an election in the City of Winslow to be held Nov. 3 for voters to approve or reject Ordinance 1327. This election is a referendum on an ordinance passed by the council in 2018, which added a new Human Rights chapter related to the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, marital status, familial status, age, disability or veteran status as it pertains to public accommodations. * Approved the award of a bid of nearly $3 million for the Taxiway B and Connectors Reconstruction Project at Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport to C&S Engineers, Inc. with the funding to be provided by grant funds through the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Program. * Heard a quarterly report from Housing Director Kim Salazar in which she reminded the council that due to government mandate, no evictions have taken place on the basis on non-payment. * Received a written report from Northland Pioneer College Friends and Family Director Betsyann Wilson in which she announced that tuition will be discounted for the fall and spring semesters due to COVID-19 moving instruction to online only. The next meeting of the Winslow City Council will be at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, in the Hubbell Building, located at 524 W. Second St.
