River Falls utility flags March invoice timing, outlines major capital projects

Erica Ellison, presenting the monthly finance report on May 18, told the Utility Advisory Board that fund 610 (electric) showed an apparent spike in March because two months of WPPI purchase‑power invoices were recorded in that single month. She said finance staff may reassign those costs through accrual adjustments back into the months when the expenses were actually incurred.

Ellison noted overall revenues remain ahead of expenses so far, and that the 2025 financials are still being audited. She pointed board members to the capital expense tracking sheet and identified several projects of note: an engineering appropriation of $221,000 for the Lamemedi Interceptor replacement (about 2,000 feet of 18‑inch line), required five‑year inspections of Sycamore water tower and the Mound reservoir, and a Hoffman Park drainage study budgeted at $183,000.

Board discussion estimated the interceptor construction could fall in the $2–3 million range; the transcript records an estimate of about $2.5 million but does not attribute a named mover for that figure. Ellison said some capital expenses for March might not yet be coded to the correct project numbers and could appear in next month’s reporting.

No formal votes were taken on project approvals at the meeting. Finance staff said they will update the packet when the city’s audit is finalized and will provide revised month allocations if accrual adjustments are made.