City council approves claims register after removing $52,732.80 invoice for follow-up

Mount Pleasant City Council approved the city—s invoice register dated Feb. 22 to Mar. 7, 2025, after removing a $52,732.80 invoice to Ellen Curtis & Sons for further review.

Councilmembers voted to approve a revised total of $515,451.63 for the register, excluding the contested Ellen Curtis & Sons invoice. Councilmember Kate moved to approve the register minus that invoice; Councilmember Paul seconded the motion and the roll call vote was unanimous in favor.

The council discussed the Ellen Curtis invoice at length, noting that the billed amounts did not match the original requisition. A council member said the invoice billed a higher amount than the vendor quote and that the fire chief would follow up to reconcile the discrepancy before the city pays the line item.

Separately, the council approved a separate requisition, number 20224222038, in the amount of $29,873.80 to a collections/settlement entry listed in the packet (referenced in the meeting as "Alzeit Fray" / "Avian's trade"). Councilmember Paul made the motion to approve that requisition; the motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members present voting in favor.

The council also approved a transaction register covering Feb. 1–28, 2025, for $178.86 and approved minutes for prior meetings as part of routine consent items.

The removed Ellen Curtis & Sons invoice will remain on hold while staff and the fire chief reconcile the billed amount with the original requisition and report back to council. No payment was made on that invoice at the meeting.

What remains next: staff said they would research the Ellen Curtis discrepancy and return with documentation; the approved settlement/requisition and the rest of the register will be processed per usual city payment procedures.