Committee probes recurring small purchases, requests budget summaries and quarterly reports

Members of the Village of Cross Plains Finance Advisory & Enhancement Committee reviewed the packet purchase list and raised questions about recurring small charges and how those expenses are coded in the general ledger.

A committee member pointed to repeated line items on the spending list for personal earplugs ordered through Public Works and reimbursed by the individual; staff explained the purchases are routed through a receivable (GL) account and cleared when the staff member reimburses the village. Committee members requested the budget number and explanation in future packets to avoid recurring questions.

Committee members discussed how the GL number structure works (fund–department–account) and asked staff to provide a short summary plus supporting detail for new members. The group asked that quarterly budget summaries be distributed to the committee so members can more easily track how expenditures compare to the portion of the fiscal year elapsed (for example, percent of budget spent versus percent of year elapsed).

Members also queried whether detailed purchase reports in packet materials are subject to public records requests; staff confirmed the reports are public and can be produced under open records. Committee members asked staff to include the regular quarterly summary and budget amendment memos in future packets.

No formal motion was taken on purchases beyond routine review; staff agreed to add explanatory summaries and share quarterly reports with the committee.