Committee moves multiple moral-obligation and emergency payments after finance staffing gaps; administration cites unique reasons
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
The committee approved a series of 'moral obligation' payments and 'then-and-now' payments across departments, including emergency communications, recreation, stormwater and enterprise technology; administration said delays stemmed from staffing and encumbrance timing issues.
The Budget and Finance Committee placed on for passage a slate of moral-obligation and then-and-now payments for multiple city departments, including the Emergency Communications Center (ECC), Cincinnati Recreation Commission (CRC), the stormwater management utility, and enterprise technology contracts. Key amounts and recipients noted in committee: $103,513 to Medical Priority Consultants Inc. (Priority Dispatch Corp.) for ECC training and certifications; $13,754.60 to National Academies of Emergency Dispatch for recertification; $173,098.95 to Intrado Life and Safety Solutions for annual 911 maintenance and software support (to be paid from the 911 cell phone fees fund); $243,681.23 from CRC's Municipal Golf Fund to Antares Golf LLC for golf course management services; $4,370 to Jason Barney for boat ramp operations at the Schmidt Complex; $76,237.04 to Duke Energy Ohio for electric services related to dam operation in the stormwater management fund; $92,000 to Medical Priority Consultants (then-and-now) for software maintenance and support; and $154,798.16 to CGI Technologies and Solutions for enterprise software and maintenance for the city's financial system. Administration explanation: The administration told the committee the ECC's chief financial person was on extended leave and there was insufficient backup, which delayed encumbrances and timely payments. Similar unique reasons were given for other items; funds exist in the respective accounts to cover the payments. Why it matters: These payments cover critical emergency communications, public-safety infrastructure and ongoing service contracts; delays prompted questions about internal controls and continuity of finance operations. Committee action and next steps: Committee members asked for explanations about why payments accumulated; the items were placed on for passage with no objections recorded in the transcript. The administration indicated it would explain unique reasons for subsequent items when presented.