Finance department reports March sales-tax gain; city notes $4 million in encumbrances

Leslie, a finance department representative, told the Joplin City Council at its informal session that March sales-tax receipts were "actually pretty good," up about 3% compared with the same month a year earlier and up 3% for the fiscal year to date. She said use tax for the month was down roughly 9% compared with the prior year but remained up about 11% year-to-date.

"And then, marijuana, it's just about what it is every month, but it is a lot higher than the same month last year ... we're up almost 45%," Leslie said, noting that year-to-date marijuana revenues were up about 13.65%. She cautioned that monthly comparisons can reflect timing differences in collections.

Leslie said the general fund figures (through Feb. 28, roughly four months into the fiscal year) show operating revenue slightly over budget and operating expenditures under budget, producing a net operating gain better than anticipated. She added the city still carries $4,000,000 in outstanding encumbrances that will affect available resources.

The finance representative reviewed the department's core duties as set out in Article IV of the city charter — fund-basis accounting under generally accepted accounting principles, monthly financial reporting, internal controls, and coordination across departments — and summarized staff capacity. She said the city has an open Accountant I position it hopes to fill with a recent graduate and outlined ongoing initiatives including a transition to online business licensing, time-and-attendance rollout, grant implementation and reimbursements, follow-up on the state audit, and an anticipated RFP for an external independent fee review for fiscal year 2027.

On operations, Leslie said the city is shifting several systems (from ACOM to a DMS platform) and is working to identify EV charging station locations. She also said the banking-services bid would be presented to council that night and that the TIF commission will consider a budget amendment on April 30, with an expected first reading before council on May 18 to close out a completed street project (1717 Marketplace).

Council member Koppel raised a citizen question about business-license timing after the planned online transition, asking whether licenses would move to a 12-month cycle or remain tied to the existing renewal date. Leslie said licenses should be prorated by quarter when issued mid-cycle and asked businesses that paid a full year in error to contact the finance office.

Koppel suggested spreading about 300 license renewals throughout the year rather than concentrating them in April to lessen the workload; Leslie said she would discuss options with staff and assess tracking implications.

Leslie also listed recent accomplishments — a new budget process, completed user-fee work, a five-year health-insurance bid, and audit implementation work related to recent GASB guidance requiring recognition of certain leave liabilities — and said the department will submit the popular annual financial report to the Government Finance Officers Association for consideration in April.

The city offered no formal actions or votes on finance items at the informal session; the finance presentation closed with council praise for Leslie and her staff and an invitation for further questions that produced none.