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Wetumpka council hears clean audit, approves midyear budget revision reducing revenues and expenses
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Summary
The Wetumpka City Council received an audit report with an unqualified opinion and approved a midyear budget revision that cuts projected revenue by about $1.15 million and trims expenses by roughly $1.4 million while increasing capital outlay for special projects.
The Wetumpka City Council heard an audit presentation and approved a midyear revision to the city’s 2026 budget on a voice vote.
Miss Tate, presenting documents from the city’s audit firm, said auditors issued an unqualified (clean) opinion on Wetumpka’s fiscal 2025 financial statements and related notes. "I am pleased to report that there were no significant difficulties in dealing with management during the audit," Tate said, and noted auditors had no disagreements with management. She also described a small number of uncorrected misstatements and recommended internal-control and policy improvements related to federal funds compliance and credit-card documentation.
The council then considered a midyear budget adjustment that, as presented, reduces total projected revenue from $24,253,000 by $1,148,000 to $23,104,500 (about a 5% reduction) and reduces expenses from $21,828,000 by $1,408,000 to approximately $20,000,000. The presenter said the changes reflect slower-than-expected sales-tax revenue from planned developments (including the Rivertown Center) and a reclassification of some amounts into capital outlay and special projects, which the budget would increase by $981,000 to $3,400,000.
Council members questioned recurring findings tied to credit-card documentation. One councilor noted the finding has appeared in multiple audits; Tate and council staff said reconciliation work by finance personnel during the year had improved records, and the city will continue tightening documentation requirements.
After discussion, a council member moved to adopt the revised budget; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with no opposed votes recorded.
Next steps: several items related to the budget and the audit findings were assigned for follow-up in staff reports and future meetings to shore up policies and grant management. The council did not adopt new policy language at this meeting but directed staff to implement recommended documentation practices.
