Auditors for the City of East Ridge had high praise for the city’s financial condition, Thursday night at the City Council meeting.
Jason Martin, a principal with the accounting firm Henderson, Hutcherson & McCullough, told the council that its healthy fund balance of $5.4 million was to be “commended.”
Martin said that any healthy city has enough reserve funds in which to operate between two and four months. East Ridge’s reserve fund would allow it to operate for about five months. He said “that is to be commended.” He gave high praise to Finance Director Diane Qualls and City Manager Scott Miller for their conservative financial management style.
Martin said the audit showed no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses. He said that the challenge moving forward was to not “over-commit” dollars generated from the Border Region Act.
In regard to finances, the council unanimously passed a resolution requiring the city to maintain a fund balance above $4 million. Records show that in May of 2015 the council amended an ordinance changing the minimum fund balance in the general fund to an amount equivalent to not less than two months of the general operating expenses.
On second reading the council adopted an ordinance changing the makeup and powers of the city’s Library Board, per state law. The ordinance gives broad powers to the Library Board, including control over its budget and hiring and firing of staff. Mayor Brent Lambert reappointed his wife, Mandy Lambert, to the board, while the entire council selected two new members to the board, Erin Rickman and John Britt.
The council approved by resolution an $84, 663 change order from Amec Foster Wheeler Environment and Infrastructure in regard to the Exit 1 reconfiguration construction project on Interstate 75. City Manager Miller said 2,100 tons of unsuitable soil needed to be excavated in order to assure the integrity of the roadway on the north side of Ringgold Road. Miller said that the city is considering future legal action against the firm, as core sampling of the area was inadequate.
The council approved by resolution the purchase of new playground equipment for improvements at Pioneer Frontier Park. The company GameTime will provide $42,000 worth of equipment for $15,000, as GameTime wants to use photographs of the new installation in its marketing campaign.
The council discussed increasing the salary of the East Ridge Court Clerk from $54,472 to $60,000. The salary increase would go into effect after the elections next year.
Court Clerk Patricia Cassidy said that as a salaried elected official she saved the City $12,000 in overtime last year and $15,000 this year. Cassidy said that she is not permitted to participate in the City’s pension plan, as she is an elected official. And, that because her staff is so small, she is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The council deferred any decision until after the first of the year.
