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Evansville City approves accounts payable register after questions over $9,037 utility invoice
Summary
Evansville City approved the meeting memorandum and the accounts payable voucher register Feb. 3, 2025. Board members questioned a $9,037.65 Southern Indiana Gas & Electric invoice tied to a vessel at Marina Point and directed staff to investigate contract history and consumption patterns.
Evansville City approved the meeting memorandum and accepted the accounts payable voucher register during its Feb. 3, 2025 meeting, after board members raised questions about a $9,037.65 electric bill tied to a vessel at Marina Point.
The board voted to accept the meeting memorandum for Feb. 3, 2025, and to approve payment of the voucher register as read. The voucher register included: City of Evansville postage reimbursement, $0.64 (invoice date Jan. 31, 2025); Evansville Water Works $136.12 (invoice date Feb. 6, 2025) for 610 Northwest Riverside Drive; and two Southern Indiana Gas & Electric Company invoices of $410.91 (invoice date Jan. 30, 2025) for 840 LST Drive and $9,037.65 (invoice date Feb. 5, 2025) for 610 Northwest Riverside Drive.
The most contentious item was the $9,037.65 electric invoice. A board member (Speaker 4) said, “That $9,000, I think that's about $4,000 more than it was last year. And I have a real problem with that.” The member pressed staff for the history of which entity is contractually responsible for utilities at the LST and the Riverside visitor center.
Finance staff member Mr. Gunter said the February financial report is not yet compiled and will be presented at the April meeting. Gunter also said he will ask a city attorney named Marco to review whether there is a contract or prior agreement establishing the city’s obligations for the vessel and related facilities. “I'll ask Marco if he was part of that meeting, if he has anything to show what we're responsible for,” Gunter said.
Board members directed staff to collect 12 months of prior invoices for a side-by-side consumption comparison and to identify any recent rate increases from the utility. One board member suggested operational changes to reduce consumption, such as powering down lighting and equipment overnight on the vessel, while another noted the possibility that severe cold weather contributed to higher usage in December and January.
Staff also noted there are recurring Port Authority costs that have been handled intermittently by the parks department, including prior arrangements to pay water bills and periodic expenses such as legal fees and liability insurance; those items will appear in future closings or quarterly reports.
The motions to accept the meeting memorandum and to approve payment of the voucher register were moved and seconded and were recorded as passed. The board did not provide a roll-call tally in the transcript.
Board members asked staff to (1) produce a 12-month invoice comparison showing consumption and charges for the two addresses (840 LST Drive and 610 Northwest Riverside Drive), (2) request any existing contract or agreement showing what the city is obligated to pay, and (3) report back with findings at a future meeting. No new policy or contract was adopted during the session.
The meeting adjourned following the votes.
