[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6223248,"mediaKeyId","3576736-531d9739ebd055c67e10b6719baa64f5","parentId",3576736,"title","Finance committee adopts FY2026 budget calendar, sets property-tax hearing dates","audioSeconds",566,"startMs",1353000,"endMs",1919000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3576736-531d9739ebd055c67e10b6719baa64f5&start=1353&end=1919","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3576736-531d9739ebd055c67e10b6719baa64f5/thumbnail_1353000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6223248/Stonecrest/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Finance-committee-adopts-FY2026-budget-calendar-sets-property-tax-hearing-dates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6223248-2474e99981f45bafa214e638b9fd0186/orig.mp4?Expires=1771220050&Signature=gVeLPC420atDvZxtLql8KVY17gy179XSE5xedlRit4r5BVxoPhpnpQPKzUsi2a0IP3kF7JMYpe9V3S5-Jl2aeZE19hMCOHZlqvi8inazdDubRRuPhiRGhbkspmMcOQRzWdo2-lty7xLHad8MNHIHFsD1nIvy4q~Rw2Y6bL-C-Iso3JYULnoFSbwPiGHJE9YLPyKTiA7sWEYD~sEQOdmMyCwk09VztbUFKcpRP8fvos0KJFIzJWPhoXJ1xEgYCWpGS7eI76csNNwTAPruNQbgna4i6fpjLLQczTyL2abHy9O6H3DNxZI1xFYqOvuXUkUwTrU8kiceNhYnw-2vb3X6Ew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-27T16:13:44Z","article","Stonecrest Finance Committee members reviewed the FY2026 budget calendar and the property-tax (millage) adoption schedule at their May 21 meeting, confirming advertisement and public-hearing dates and discussing coordination with county requirements.

Finance Director Lakisha Ames said the calendar will move department worksheets to July, with a joint Finance/TIPs meeting on Sept. 10 to consider capital-improvement recommendations. She summarized the timeline: department worksheets distributed in July, departmental reviews and CIP recommendations in August/September, final department revisions in October, public hearings in June and the council adoption in late June. “In October, we'll move forward with the advertisement of the public hearing. The city manager in the mail will present the first proposed budget, and then we'll have a second public hearing,” she said.

On property taxes, Ames outlined the rate-adoption schedule: a May 29 advertisement and press release; a June 9 special-call noon public hearing (to satisfy the statutory requirement for at least one daytime hearing) and a June 9 evening work session; and a June 26 council meeting to hold a final public hearing with intent to adopt the millage. She said the city will submit signed adoption documents to the tax commissioner's office before the early July deadline (transcript referenced July 5). Ames also noted DeKalb County's requirement for printed legal ads and said the city routinely uses the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The Champion (the county legal organ) in addition to digital postings to meet county notice rules.

Committee members asked for clarity about the capital-improvement fund (separate from the general fund) and reaffirmed that large capital projects such as sewer work and restroom construction are budgeted through that fund. Members discussed canceling the Aug. 20 finance meeting and consolidating work into the Sept. 10 joint meeting with TIPs.

The committee also asked council members to bring specific priority requests to the June 19 budget retreat (for example, suggested changes to the $10,000 council-initiative allotment or requests for new full-time positions). Ames said such priorities should include recommended dollar amounts to make the retreat most productive.

Next steps: staff will finalize the advertisement materials, confirm publication dates with county legal organs and bring the midyear and FY2026 budget materials back to the committee for review ahead of the scheduled public hearings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Finance 6:00 PM 05-21-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Stonecrest Finance Committee reviewed and revised the FY2026 budget calendar on May 21, setting key dates for department worksheets, a June 9 joint meeting and a June 26 council hearing with intent to adopt the millage; staff also discussed advertising requirements for property-tax notices.","taxTitle","Stonecrest, DeKalb County, Georgia","taxId",4249,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6223253,"Stonecrest finance director reports strong 2021 audit, outlines policy changes and ongoing audits",88,220000,308000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3576736-531d9739ebd055c67e10b6719baa64f5&start=220&end=308","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3576736-531d9739ebd055c67e10b6719baa64f5/thumbnail_220000.jpg","/articles/6223253/Stonecrest/DeKalb-County/Georgia/Stonecrest-finance-director-reports-strong-2021-audit-outlines-policy-changes-and-ongoing-audits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6223253-f2901246add159a254cfa7b410b6081e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771220050&Signature=PB14v0mOTOsDZUrOrKu~qM0wOcJySp5J1n5MduXv75tRjBl0c5ulJgvccdVvbzlRSXHqDMDEQQaG7td7GfUsugqZ7niHvN2MmTQOKM2d4fBhj~xKuUPYCoAt--oy1v4jYqPMvILUT8nerrAUJCd-A5uO1gjYs28v~ezss6FQpIcVZ1sEcdybdMFeqeCkOcp5OhbNCvvhINyJ3PHbeSpeGY5--n3BfALw35mbP84oeopYR~bZ-tgbzvnx4VA2JWYmxFI57odhhXXEq9Qlz84Cd7OI-o8elY1ZfPRQI9AtQ8iMOplZQnoNteG2-gaeVFgJcJ~JtDPCf~LabIl7J~CUxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Stonecrest Finance Committee Chair Tammy Grimes convened the committee on May 21, 2025, where Finance Director Lakisha Ames reported that the city’s fiscal year 2021 audit has been completed and characterized as “very good,” and outlined a package of policy and staffing changes intended to bring the city into compliance for future audits.

Ames told the committee: “The FY ’21 finance audit was completed. We had an overall very good audit. Our revenues that were taken in for the 2021 year were $17,800,000. Our expenses were $9,000,000, so we had a lot of savings there.” She said the total fund balance as of Dec. 31, 2021, was $18,200,000 and that revenue for that period had increased by 24.7% while expenses rose 2.64% (all figures are for the 2021 fiscal year and were reported as such).

The audit report included recommendations to adopt or revise several city policies. Ames said purchasing, purchasing-card, and financial-management-and-reporting policies were revised in March 2025 and that the audit recommended further work on an information-technology policy, a record-retention policy, a whistleblower policy and a conflict-of-interest policy. “We’re putting in place policies and procedures that will streamline how finance operates going forward,” Ames said, adding those controls are intended to “ensure that we’re compliant.”

Ames described operational changes the finance department is pursuing to address internal-control recommendations: hiring staff with accounting, grants and procurement experience, meeting monthly with external auditors and keeping an accounting firm on professional-services standby to assist with journal entries or other adjustments. She said the city is also working with a forensic accountant identified in the transcript as Marshall Mitchell to help resolve audit issues and maintain progress on later-year statements.

Committee members repeatedly framed the FY2021 audit as a retrospective snapshot: the numbers Ames reported are as of Dec. 31, 2021, and committee discussion emphasized that the city’s finances and staffing have changed since then. Ames said the city is “on track” to complete audited financial statements for 2022 and 2023, and that staff are actively assembling supporting documentation for external auditors.

Discussion at the meeting touched on a prior disagreement with an external audit opinion (transcribed references to the audit firm’s name varied in the record). Committee members said they worked with the state department and the city’s forensic accountant to reconcile differing opinions and that litigation and indemnity issues tied to a third-party vendor remain matters for executive session.

Next steps identified at the meeting: finance staff will continue monthly work with external auditors to finalize 2022–2023 statements, continue implementing revised policies and return to the committee with a midyear budget adjustment for consideration in July (after June 3 work already noted in committee discussion).","At a May 21 Finance Committee meeting, Finance Director Lakisha Ames said the city’s FY2021 audit was completed and characterized as strong; she described recommended policy updates, staffing changes and work under way to complete audits for 2022 and 2023.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Finance committee adopts FY2026 budget calendar, sets property-tax hearing dates

Stonecrest finance director reports strong 2021 audit, outlines policy changes and ongoing audits