Resident questions Lometa's financial reporting during open forum

During the public-comment portion of the Lometa City Council meeting on April 6, resident Christine Eltgroth told the council she had submitted an open records request for fiscal year 2024'25 and raised discrepancies in city accounting for the RV park.

Eltgroth said she lived at the RV park and "paid $500.00 a month," but said the profit-and-loss entry for the RV park in the records she reviewed showed only "$30," and she asked where the missing income was listed. Mayor Derek Talley later addressed circulating rumors about the city's finances and said the city keeps open records and that bank statements, profit-and-loss reports and other records are available for public review at city hall. The minutes also record Talley explaining transfers from court accounts to the general fund to meet funding needs.

The minutes do not include an accounting reconciliation in response to Eltgroth's claim. The record shows Eltgroth raised the concern and the mayor offered public access to the records; the minutes do not record a staff report or a follow-up action with an estimated date for producing reconciled records. Residents seeking documents should contact the City Secretary as noted in the minutes.