Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Finance Storm Recovery topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council Approves July Financial Report; Storm Cleanup Nears $30,000, Official Says
Summary
The Beresford City Council approved the July financial report and discussed storm-related cleanup bills approaching $30,000 and a possible $30,000 contingency fund; sales tax receipts showed an unusual single-month spike that brought year-to-date collections back in line.
The Beresford City Council approved the city's July financial report and heard staff say storm cleanup expenses were "just shy of $30,000," driven mostly by hauling fallen trees and other post-storm work. "Right now, we are just shy of $30,000," a city staff member said while reviewing July expenditures.
Why it matters: Storm-related cleanup and repair costs influence the city's near-term budget and could require use of a contingency fund or later request for state or federal assistance if additional damage is documented.
The report listed several large July payments: $802,032 to Metro Construction for a housing development; $61,965 to Site Works for the wastewater treatment Sager system; $26,513 to Twight Construction for a concrete pad at a new patio; $14,883 to Merle and Roy for topsoil and grass seed at Volunteer Park; and $5,647 for patio furniture. Staff said one invoice remained outstanding and that storm-related hauling comprised the bulk of the near-$30,000 storm tally.
Council members asked about outstanding balances on the Sager system and whether state or federal disaster support might apply; staff said any state or federal reimbursement process "would be further down the road" and that tree removal alone may not qualify for external assistance. The report also noted a single-month uptick in sales tax receipts that moved the year-to-date total back toward historical norms after an earlier shortfall: "we were down a little bit for the year, about 7% behind what we would normally be," a staff member said, adding the large single-month payment likely reflected a delayed large tax remittance or a major equipment sale by a local business.
Action taken: A councilmember moved and seconded approval of the July financial report; the motion carried by voice vote.
Next steps: Staff said they will report storm expenses at the next meeting and recommended the council consider a $30,000 contingency to cover storm-related expenses until all invoices are received and processed.
Ending: The council carried the financial report by voice vote and asked staff to provide follow-up information about outstanding Sager system payments and any potential reimbursement options.
