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Marion County utility reviews finances, approves outside bookkeeping and advances well-drilling plans
Summary
At a Marion County utility meeting in Hamilton, staff reviewed a new QuickBooks profit-and-loss report, reported progress on an ARC grant and a well-drilling contract, and approved a monthly bookkeeping contract to reconcile accounts.
At a meeting of Marion County utility officials in Hamilton, staff presented a new QuickBooks profit-and-loss format for monthly financial review, described progress on a planned well-drilling project funded through a state loan-forgiveness program and an ARC grant, and the board approved hiring an outside bookkeeper to reconcile bank statements and maintain QuickBooks records.
Staff said the new QuickBooks reports let officials “drill down” from summary numbers to the individual checks and transactions that make up each line item, and recommended using the profit-and-loss view rather than reviewing individual checks. Officials discussed separating water sales from other income on the report so the utility can track water revenue separate from tap fees, late fees and sales tax. The finance discussion included specific line items mentioned by staff: a $44,592 figure (context: unclear in transcript), a $28,022.66 line described as the total cost for water purchases, and a $336 interest amount shown as other income.
The board received several implementation updates. Staff reported they had signed an ARC grant agreement that has been returned to NACOG and the ARC office for processing and that funds should start flowing once internal steps are complete. Staff also said the well-drilling project has been bid to Morrow Water Industries, which won the bid and has agreed to honor 2024 bid pricing; staff said the well will service the east side of town once funds are released. Staff described a state funding mechanism that staff characterized as 100% loan forgiveness; officials said the state agency is working through closing procedures because no payments will be required on loans that are fully forgiven.
On regulatory and technical matters, staff said an Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) inspection was rescheduled for a following week because the assigned inspector could not attend the originally scheduled date. Staff reported fiscal-year 2022 audit work is complete and hard copies of audit reports were expected to be distributed; auditors plan to present multiple years’ reports together once they finish backlog work.
The utility reported continued work on a mapping project to record hydrant coordinates and meter locations. Staff said the mapping will let 9-1-1 and responding fire departments receive specific hydrant coordinates and will help meter readers and new staff find infrastructure. The Rural Water Association has offered free services to members (funded through USDA programs), including leak detection and technical assistance, and staff said they plan to use those services to address ongoing water-loss issues.
After staff presented the bookkeeping options, the board approved a contract with Paula Evans, identified in the meeting as an independent bookkeeper who set up the utility’s QuickBooks and would perform bank reconciliations and coding work for a flat monthly fee (staff described the proposed fee as about $175 per month). Staff said Evans would also provide ongoing QuickBooks training for the utility’s clerk and help maintain separation of duties for auditing purposes.
Formal items: a motion to approve the minutes/finance report was made and carried by voice vote; later, a motion to engage the outside bookkeeper was made and the chair called for concurrence. The meeting closed with scheduling for the next meeting in August and an adjournment motion.
Details recorded in the meeting indicate the discussion combined technical, financial and administrative items rather than producing new regulatory decisions: the ARC grant had been signed and returned for processing, the well bid had been awarded to Morrow Water Industries with funding release still required, and the bookkeeping contract was approved so that an independent reconciler would handle monthly bank statements and coding.
The utility said it will continue refining QuickBooks reports to make water revenue reporting clearer, follow up with ADEM on inspection scheduling, coordinate with NACOG/ARC on grant drawdown, and work with Morrow Water Industries and the state loan-forgiveness process to schedule well work after funds are released. The board set its next regular meeting for August and then adjourned.
