CPA contract awaits mayor’s signature as finance director reports roughly $31 million in general-fund reserves

Cleveland Heights’ Finance Committee on Jan. 14 was told the city’s independent CPA engagement is formally passed by council but still awaiting the mayor’s signature, and the acting finance director said preliminary closing numbers show roughly $31 million in unencumbered general-fund reserves at the end of 2024.

The CPA contract — described in committee discussion as approved by council and requiring signoff from the law department, the accounting office and the mayor — is “sitting on the mayor’s desk,” Committee Chair Gail Larson said during the meeting. Larson asked at the outset, “Do we have an agreement signed by the mayor so we can proceed?” The mayor later replied at the meeting, “Sign and send back to the law,” indicating the administration was prepared to finalize the paper work.

Why it matters: council members said the CPA review is intended to provide independent advice while the city finalizes its 2025 appropriations ordinance and year-end accounting. Acting Finance Director Mark Fowles (at the meeting) told the committee he expects to publish final end-of-year balances to council by the Jan. 21 meeting and that the numbers will inform deliberations on the budget the administration introduced for 2025 (Appropriations Ordinance No. 11, 2025).

What the committee heard

- Contract and communications: Committee members discussed how the CPA firm should be engaged once the mayor signs. Councilors agreed they want transparency on questions sent to the CPA and their answers; the group proposed copying the full committee on email queries and asking the firm to “reply all” so committee members can see both questions and responses, while avoiding “reply all” among council members to prevent inadvertent quorum…