Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Moore Haven council flags budget overages as contractual costs and power purchases climb
Summary
City staff told the Moore Haven City Council on July 31 that several budget lines are overrun, including contractual services (over 130% used) and power purchases (about $52,000 over with three months left), prompting officials to plan budget amendments and more frequent fiscal reports.
Moore Haven, Fla. — City Manager Larry Tibbs told the Moore Haven City Council during a July 31 budget workshop that liability and workers' compensation insurance costs are rising and that several spending categories will require adjustment before the fiscal year ends.
"Liability Insurance and Workman's Comp is going up about 4% compared to last year; it was up 24%," Tibbs said, adding that health insurance is up about 1% this year. Tibbs said staff used last year's budget numbers and current-year expenditures to project next year's figures and will keep tracking through year-end to refine those projections.
Vice Mayor and Financial Officer Jacob Eighner flagged "contractual services" as being 130% used for the year and urged quarterly percentage reports so the council can "slow down" discretionary spending when needed. "So, we knew which areas to slow down on," Eighner said of prior reporting practices.
Councilmember Alisha Beck raised a separate urgent overage: the power purchase line is already about $52,000 over with three months remaining in the fiscal year. "We have 3 more months; we are already $52,000 over — I'm sure it's going to continue to rise," Beck said, asking whether the council should adjust budgeted amounts across departments.
Staff and council discussed whether some SCADA and other large contractual expenses are being charged to operating lines and whether those costs should be moved to ARPA or other grant funds. Tibbs said a budget amendment likely will be necessary to reclassify and clean up areas where expenditures exceed appropriations.
Tibbs urged the council to begin multiyear planning for bigger capital projects such as playground equipment, docks and seawall work and suggested using CaPFA funds for equipment and as grant matches for larger projects. The council did not take any formal voting action on the budget at the workshop.
The meeting adjourned after a motion by Vice Mayor Jacob Eighner and a second from Councilmember Bradley Smith.
