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St. Clair County commissioners dispute year‑end fund balance as chair urges clearer public accounting
Summary
At a regular meeting, county leaders debated conflicting fund‑balance figures for fiscal year end and whether reserves could fund projects such as a juvenile detention center or employee pay increases. Chair Kenny Parsons urged clearer, documented figures before spending decisions.
Chair Kenny Parsons opened a lengthy budget discussion at the St. Clair County Commission’s regular meeting, pressing staff to resolve inconsistent fund‑balance figures before the commission makes spending decisions.
Parsons said he received official documents showing different ending fund balances for the same date — figures discussed in the meeting included $36,127,792, $41,610,490.73 and $44,477,334.32 — and asked the CFO to correct and reconcile the records before publication. "I want to be sure Dave gets the right figure he puts in the paper," Parsons said during his report.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the true fund balance affects whether the county can fund capital projects or one‑time expenditures without violating procurement rules. Several commissioners suggested the county has room to consider pay raises or capital projects, while others cautioned against spending without documented authority and warned about bid‑law exposure.
During the exchange, commissioners and staff discussed specific restricted accounts (including a $2.8 million balance associated with a building authority that the commission cannot unilaterally spend) and the county’s reserve targets. Parsons repeatedly urged that public materials be readable and internally consistent so citizens can verify how tax dollars are being managed.
What was said: Commissioner Stevens (Speaker 2) said he was encouraged by the CFO’s higher number and asked the commission to revisit a proposed cost‑of‑living adjustment for county staff once December revenues are finalized. Parsons and other commissioners pushed staff to document the differences between prior and current reports and to ensure the October 1 fund‑balance numbers are correct and traceable to bank accounts.
Next steps: The commission directed staff to reconcile the discrepancy, include corrected figures in the public financials, and provide clearer documentation of restricted versus available funds. No formal appropriation was made from the contested reserves during this meeting. The commission later voted to publish the unaudited financial statement for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 as required by law.
