City Council Discusses Cash Flow

The Monticello City Council met in a work session Monday with Mayor Glenn Newsome, Mayor Pro Tem Russell Gross and Councilman Bryan Standifer present.

Certified Public Account Shelby Bowles was on hand to discuss the city’s cash flow situation. He reported the city seems to be $80,000 to $160,000 short each month, then reaches a period where it catches up. The 2008 expenditures were $10.3 million while revenues were only $8.9 million. The difference was made up by the city pulling out of its cash reserve.

The city is currently holding checks for $200,000 and for the next 30 days Mr. Bowles forecast a cash shortage of $108,000. He also advised the council not to print checks until there was cash to cover them.

Councilman Standifer asked, “How do we keep up with what we owe if we don’t print up checks?” Mr. Bowles answered that the computer system should keep up with this, but the city’s system does not, and added that a correct system would give a printout of bills in 30, 60 and 90 day categories.

Mr. Bowles also reported a few things needed to be fixed to make the accounting office more efficient, and that the utility billing needed help. In conclusion, he advised the council they would have a financial report at their next meeting they could rely on, that it wouldn’t fix their cash flow, but he did think they could get through the current fiscal year despite the cash flow problem.

Also on hand were Scott Allison of jB+a, and Robert Jordan of Jordan Engineering, who presented the first draft budget of the city’s sidewalk project, which currently comes to a total of approximately $1.4 million, while the city’s grant is $1.0 million. However, Mr. Jordan explained the cost would go down as the stretches of sidewalk which could be salvaged were identified. Mayor Newsome also explained the cost could go down by reducing some of the eight foot paths to six feet.

The next step in the sidewalk project is to finalize priority projects and have a meeting on concepts. Mr. Allison estimated it would be approximately one and one-half years before actual construction begins.

Also on hand from jB+a was Lane Conville, the consulting firm’s grant coordinator. Ms. Conville explained how they could help the city locate money resources and secure additional funds that will help express the community’s unique character. Two items of particular interest was water quality and storm water management improvements, and museum collection and exhibition support.

In preparation for the council’s scheduled regular monthly meeting this coming Tuesday, City Manager Bob Schwartz presented the council with a draft agenda, which among other items, included under new business the proposed change of speed limits for certain streets and a proposal to create short term parking spaces along each side of the square to accommodate merchants with short term customers.