Beaver City treasurer flags fund gaps, calls for tighter purchase controls

Beaver City Treasurer Patty Samark presented a multi‑fund financial report to the City Council on Feb. 24, showing fund-by-fund figures as of Jan. 31 and outlining areas staff say need attention.

Samark reported General Fund revenue of $2,144,624.63 and expenses of $2,418,007.18, and said much of the difference reflected new building and capital work. She provided enterprise fund details: golf-course revenue from July through January totaled $210,056.41 against expenses of $380,003.75; airport revenue was $139,383.83 with expenses of $136,941.38; pressurized‑irrigation and water funds showed smaller positive or negative variances. Samark told the council she has submitted paperwork for reimbursement from a bond and the Department of Energy for electrical‑fund expenses but that final confirmation is pending.

Council members pressed staff for clearer invoice descriptions, consistent PO usage and department‑head sign‑off on purchases after discussing a recent implementation of a sign‑off process. “It would be nice to require on invoices a brief two‑ or three‑word description,” one council member said, adding that department heads should sign to show accountability. Staff said the sign‑off practice has begun and that the FY27 budget will be revised with more realistic numbers for presentation in March or April, with formal adoption expected by June.

Council and staff also discussed the golf course’s structural deficit, with members proposing options such as revising rates, increasing non‑golf revenue (a winter golf simulator), or formal transfers from the general fund as interim measures. Staff emphasized the need for accurate multi‑year comparisons to assess whether current year deficits reflect timing or structural shortfalls.

The council took no separate formal action on financial transfers at the meeting but approved routine bills and asked staff to refine procurement and invoice information ahead of the coming budget review.