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Ellsworth council narrows budget timeline as city audit moves toward April completion
Summary
City finance staff told the Ellsworth City Council the fiscal 2025 budget is likely to be finalized in May if the city audit is completed in April; staff also presented year-to-date financials and discussed possible end-of-year reallocations, encumbrances and monitoring for cost centers such as fire overtime.
The Ellsworth City Council and city finance staff said the city is aiming to finalize the fiscal 2025 budget in May, contingent on completing the annual audit now scheduled for April.
City finance staff provided year-to-date financial summaries through March 31 and an update on the audit timeline, saying auditors from RHR have targeted completion in April if city staff provide requested reports. That timing, staff said, would allow the council to act on the budget after the audit is closed.
Council members and staff emphasized transparency: the March 31 financials are posted on the city website. The documents show taxes receivable at about 87.6 percent this year compared with 86.61 percent the prior year; personal property collections were reported at about 83.98 percent this year versus 90.11 percent through March in the prior year. Finance staff invited council members and the public to submit questions by email.
Councilors asked for more frequent, department-level monitoring as the fiscal year closes. Members singled out the fire department’s overtime line as an area of concern and discussed the process for addressing cost-center overages. Staff said budget reallocations to cover year-end overages typically happen during the fiscal close process — commonly between July and September — when accounts payable and encumbrances are finalized. Council discussion noted that any reallocations within the fiscal year would follow council approval procedures.
Staff also reported on contract and audit logistics: the city is in the fourth year of its current audit contract with RHR, with one year remaining on that contract term, and staff said they will evaluate vendor contract language to clarify required timelines and deliverables going forward.
No formal vote occurred during the discussion. Council members set several follow-ups for staff, including a request for monthly, department-by-department budget monitoring as the fiscal year wraps up and preparation to present reassignment or reallocation options at upcoming meetings if needed.
Looking ahead, councilors said the May meeting is likely to include final budget action if the audit is completed beforehand. Staff cautioned that if the audit or other information is delayed, the council may postpone final adoption to ensure the budget reflects final encumbrances and audit adjustments.
