Adjustments to the tentative 2017 budget totaling $163,000 were approved by the Snowflake Town Council last week.
Town Manager Brian Richards said he had talked with the Auditor General’s staff about the budget situation the town is in, noting, “That’s OK, because we are an alternative expenditure limitation” town because citizens approved the alternative expenditure limitation, or Home Rule.
Because of that, Snowflake can set a contingency fund in case a situation arises that costs more than what is in the budget. Each year the town budgets $250,000 in a contingency fund to be used for any overages.
During the year, several unexpected expenditures occurred, requiring adjustments to several departmental budget items.
The net effect of these adjustments will increase the 2017 general fund expenditures by approximately $163,000 over the tentative budget approved for the year.
Richards explained the departmental budgets and line items that require adjustment, including $3,200 to accounting and auditing because a single audit was required due to flood control grants; $2,100 due to an increase in bank fees; $11,000 for the primary and general elections, which totaled $23,076.30; $65,000 for law fees due to a lawsuit; $7,500 due to employee turnover; $5,000 for a change in employee retirement date; $4,000 for ordinance changes, public notices, etc.; $7,200 for disc golf baskets; $35,000 for engineering fees for flood projects, which will be reimbursed; and capital outlay for such things as police radios (grant reimbursed), a server upgrade for police (reimbursed from other revenues), $65,000 for the concession stand remodel (insurance reimbursed), $65,000 for the purchase of real property (reimbursed from other revenues) and $126,000 for construction of the Pioneer Park Splash Pad.
“We put that on our expenditure limitation report to the state,” said Richards, referring to the $163,000 total more than budgeted.
The council unanimously approved the budget adjustments as presented by Richards.
In other business, the council discussed forming a golf course committee.
Richards explained that an informal committee would not hold public meetings, so they would not have to post meetings or take minutes. A formal meeting would require posting the meeting and following the open meeting law, and members would be appointed by the council.
Town Attorney Robert Hall explained that by law no more than three council members can serve on the committee, because more would require posting for a council meeting.
The council agreed to create a formal committee.
Gene Hall volunteered to serve on the committee as well as Larry Brewer, Shane Hall, a CPA, and two members of the Men’s Club, Tom Black and Glen Gordon. A motion to form a golf committee passed unanimously.
The council went into a 10-minute executive session to discuss the town manager’s contract. Upon returning to regular session a motion was made to allow the mayor to review the contract with the town manager, negotiate the contract and sign it. The motion passed unanimously.
