Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget To Actuals topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
HRA reviews first midyear budget-to-actual report; staff to refine reporting and timing
Summary
City of Saint Paul HRA staff presented a new budget-to-actual report pulled from the city's Inforce financial system, outlined data and timing limitations, and proposed steps to improve midyear reporting and program-level visibility.
The City of Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority received its first substantive midyear budget-to-actual presentation drawn from the city's Inforce accounting system and discussed next steps to make the reports more useful for policy and program decisions.
Deputy Director Green presented a summarized, custom budget-to-actual illustration for the HRA general fund and described report columns (adopted budget, commitments, encumbrances, actuals, year-to-date totals and budget-to-actual variance). Green warned the board the on-screen illustration was abbreviated and that the full numbers are in the handout. "The shaded information is what comes directly out of the Inforce system," Green said, adding that columns I and J were added by PED accounting staff at Chair Johnson's request.
Commissioners asked about the timing of revenue and transfers, including Ramsey County transfers that often post in July, and whether the report could include a year-to-date budget column (budgeted-to-date vs. actual-to-date). Green and Director Newton said the standard Inforce reports do not currently include a year-to-date budget comparison but that PED will work with OFS and other city accounting staff to create custom views and an ongoing reporting cadence. Green recommended earlier and more frequent recording or estimation of certain transactions (for example, pooled interest revenue) so the board can see closer-to-real-time estimates instead of an end-of-year note.
The presentation covered several funds and program areas. Key clarifications included: - Loan Enterprise Fund: state homeowner fix-up grants appear in the budget as a "not-to-exceed" reimbursement line; the city must incur the program expense to seek reimbursement. Green noted that if the program does not operate, the revenue will not be received. - Parking Enterprise Fund: meter and fine revenue is pledged to bond obligations and is netted to zero in reporting. Green said semiannual tax increment deposits and pooled interest adjustments are often recorded at year end and asked to coordinate timing with OFS to show more frequent estimates. She flagged a transfer in 2025 of roughly $500,000 from World Trade Center parking to the Housing Trust Fund and noted the transfer amount could be larger in future years ("Next year may be budgeted at a million and a half"). - Housing Trust Fund: staff recommended continuing the illustrative report and refining it to answer programmatic questions the HRA will raise during fall budget discussions.
The board and staff discussed the operational steps needed to make budget-to-actual reporting actionable: assign line-item managers, require an "annual spend plan" tied to the adopted budget, establish expectations for program leads to explain significant variances, and schedule regular check-ins. Green said PED had begun assigning line items and encouraged program managers to provide plans for addressing variances. Director Newton noted that programmatic budgeting (project- or program-based budgets) differs from general ledger reporting and will require additional work to tie policy decisions to GL accounts.
No formal motions or votes were taken on the presentation. Commissioners asked staff to return with refinements, including a year-to-date budget column and clearer reporting of transfers and program alignment ahead of the fall budget season.
