Goshen treasurer reports year-end activity, flags staffing gaps in finance office

GOSHEN — At the Jan. 26 Goshen City Council meeting, Treasurer Gary presented the city’s financial report and said departments remained largely on budget but year-end work had been intensive.

Gary told the council that December bank accounts had not yet been reconciled and that final totals for the year would likely be available in February. He said departments did not overspend and some spent under budget. The treasurer described several year-end items processed by his office: six year-end appropriations, seven category transfers approved in December and 33 line transfers handled by the Clerk Treasurer's Office, and 32 encumbrances that will be sent to the Board of Works in the coming weeks. He reminded the council that encumbrances represent money carried from last year for identified expenses, including contracts and invoices.

Gary also described staffing shortages in the Clerk Treasurer's Office. The office is short a financial assistant and the deputy clerk treasurer position previously held by Jeffrey Weaver. He said the city expects to fill the financial assistant position by February or early March and that the deputy position has been hard to fill because candidates with the necessary financial experience (including CPA-level background) have been scarce. He raised the possibility of offering a higher pay rate or incentives to attract qualified applicants.

Councilors voted to approve the financial report as presented. No members of the public offered comments during the financial report item.