City Council Hears from Peter Jones; Gets Good Audit
Peter Jones and the car wash and ice machine that he owns on Hwy. 16 west were the hot topic at Tuesday’s regular Monticello City Council meeting, as to whether he should be allowed to pay different metered amounts of water and sewer for his business.
The conflict stems from Mr. Jones putting in a sewer meter, at a $1,500 cost to him, to measure the sewer which “accounts for the water lost to evaporation or pouring into the parking lot that the City doesn’t have to treat,” according to Mr. Jones. The bills that Mr. Jones brought reflected that he was saving an average of $80 per month with the separate meters.
In the citizens’ comment portion before the meeting, David Wease addressed the council as to his Letter to the Editor in favor of allowing the meter to be read until the next budget year. This allows for Mr. Jones and the city to both make adjustments to fix the problem from both ends, but has no affect on the current budget, as the situation was only brought to light last month after Mr. Jones’ sewer meter had been broken.
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After much spirited conversation on the matter, the council voted to turn the issue over to the utilities committee and then come back before the council once a decision was made.
The council also had a presentation from Brandon Montgomery of the Herring CPA Group as to the City’s 2012 financial audit, where he issued an unqualified outcome meaning that city was on track and that he could rely on City Clerk Peggy Billerman and the accounting staff for numbers.He said that the city made $125,299 this year in net assets, which is fairly good. He bases this number on the governmental funds that totaled $336,947 and business (electric, water) took a $212,048 loss giving an actual picture of where the city stands.
According to Mr. Montgomery, the income and loss before transactions were $258,000 for water, $232,000 electric, and $14,000 gas. He said that the key was the electric that brought in a nice profit $332,000 but the income will cease that comes from the competitive trust money in December 2018. He encouraged the council that they were headed in the right direction, but that they needed to concentrate on lowering expenses and/or increasing revenues.
According to the individual schedule of budget the Clerk’s office ended $59,000 under budget, the council was $81,000 under budget, maintenance was $3,500 over budget, police/fire (public safety) was $53,000 over budget and public works was $85,000 under budget.
The summary audit reflected that a lot of money was spent on debt services and capital improvements (sidewalks, sewage and water improvements and plant).
State Rep. Susan Holmes addressed the council and said what a pleasure and honor it was to be before them. She told of her appreciation of the member’s time and the good job that they were doing.
She informed the council that the legislative session begins next Monday, Jan. 14 and that if there was anything that the council needed from her, not to hesitate to let her know.
She expressed her excitement for the sidewalk project and told that she had two projects in the works with DOT. One was the paving of 147th Street and the other to put in a turning lane at Piedmont Academy, as it was hazardous.
She encouraged persons to come to her about issues with getting state licenses or regulations and social security or disabitlity.
Scott Cummings addressed the council about the need for more signs on Tanyard Street. He said that there are no speed limit signs or stop aheads. City Manager Tim Sweezey said that could be taken care of.
The council voted to reappoint the following persons:
E. Ray Lanier, Judge of the Municipal Court; Timothy Bumann, Judge of the Municipal Court Pro Tem; M. Joseph Reitman, Jr., city attorney; Bobby Norris, Police Chief; Tim Sweezey, City Manager; Peggy Billerman, City Clerk; and Robert Jordan, City Engineer.
