Finance committee advances 2025 appropriations ordinance, asks for reconciliations and monthly statements

The Cleveland Heights Finance Committee voted to send Ordinance 11‑20‑25, the city’s 2025 appropriations ordinance, out of committee to the full council with a request for additional reconciliations and monthly reporting from the finance department.

Committee members said they were ready to advance the ordinance so the city can operate under a full-year budget, while the administration provides an updated worksheet tying department budgets to the ordinance and monthly financial statements once the budget is approved. Chair Gail Larson said she would be asking Director Hairston for monthly financial statements and asked for January and February reports to be provided to the committee.

Why it matters: Passing the appropriation ordinance is the formal step that allows city departments to spend for the fiscal year. Committee members framed their support as conditional on clearer reconciliations and faster, consolidated reporting so council can track spending through the year.

Discussion details: Members repeatedly raised concerns about data fragmentation and the difficulty of reconciling multiple budget worksheets and versions. Frank Eich, who reviewed the materials with finance staff, told the committee he had investigated year‑end transfers, pension and hospitalization variances and bank reconciliations and summarized his view: “Ultimately, I don't believe that the budget presented puts the city at risk financially for 2025.”

Committee members asked administration to provide: (1) an updated budget worksheet that reconciles the department-level budgets to the appropriations ordinance (including an "other" or catchall category for items not assigned to operating departments); (2) a pivot-ready spreadsheet for 2023, 2024 and 2025 so councilors can trace totals; and (3) monthly unaudited financial statements to be presented at future finance committee meetings and posted to the city's website.

Process and next steps: The committee agreed to move the ordinance forward to the Committee of the Whole and to full council with the expectation that the administration will deliver the requested worksheets and reconciliations in advance of next week's meeting. Members said they may still propose adjustments at the council level. No formal roll-call vote on the ordinance occurred in committee; members who spoke indicated agreement to move it forward but attached requests for the documentation above.

Context: Committee members also reiterated prior requests for the outstanding 2023 audit and for the 2024 unaudited reports to be sent to the auditor and the State Auditor. Chair Larson said the 2023 audit is “long overdue” and should be shared with council as soon as possible; she asked that the administration provide regular monthly statements to the committee after the budget is approved.

Ending: With documents promised by the administration and the committee’s requests recorded, the ordinance will advance to the full council for final consideration. Committee members said they expect follow‑up reporting and reconciliations to be available to them by the next meeting so councilors can review the details before final approval.