Monticello Council Discusses Finances

The Monticello City Council had a work session scheduled for Tuesday so council members could meet with the city’s auditor, Brandon Montgomery, and its accountant, Sabrina Cape.

The purpose of the meeting was to let the new members learn a little more about how the city’s financials are handled and to give all the council people an opportunity to ask questions.

Unfortunately, the accountant Sabrina Cape, was sick and unable to attend the meeting. Additionally, two of the new council people were absent—Larry Thurman and Cornell Williams.

But, Mayor Bryan Standifer, Mayor Pro-tem Bobby Jacobs, and Councilpersons Katherine Alexander and Randy Strozier were there and spent some time brainstorming about ways to possibly cut utility rates.

Besides seeing the numbers provided, they looked at issues they are already aware of that will affect them down the road, such as the ending of the municipal competitive trust and the end of the original rental agreement with the Department of Family and Children Services. That department will stop paying rent in 2016 and the competitive trust funds end in 2018.

They also briefly discussed the impending Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) negotiations.