When the Watonga City Council met Tuesday in regular session, its first order of business, following the consent agenda was to swear in a newly selected member.
Tara Bomhoff was selected from among three applicants.
She and the other council members were then treated to a very thorough discussion of the city financial statements, followed by a deep dive into the city regular audit.
This was the required annual audit, not the forensic audit the city has requested from the state auditor following the departure of the last city manager.
That audit showed the city’s accounting was in order, that there were no findings of failure of internal controls and the net position of the city was improved from one year ago.
That net position was $27.5 million, including $14.9 million in capital infrastructure – think buildings, equipment and vehicle or other propertyup $5 million from last year’s audit.
The city’s liabilities – money it owes – was also up by $2.2 million, largely because of the ongoing water projects.
The single hitch in the audit was that it was not delivered to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, from which the city borrowed the money for the water projects, within 150 days of beginning.
Auditor Jana Walker noted that the OWRB only allows 150 days, but the state’s window is 180 days.
City manager Leroy Alsup pointed out that the audit had been tardy two years in a row, and asked how that could be avoided in the future.
Both Walker and Russ Meacham, the city’s regular accountant, suggested the audit be switched from its current form, the accrual process, to a modified cash process, which is considered faster and simpler to complete.
In other business the council agreed to support the school district’s build of a memorial to the nowdemolished Dunbar School, which stood on Spiece Street and was an anchor of the Black community during the days of segregated education.
The school had asked the city to underwrite the lighting and electric costs. Alsup suggested the council make the money a reimbursable grant up to the amount of the winning bid, which was some $10,960 that the city would render to the schools when the work had been completed and the invoices paid. The council chose that option and also agreed to a similar grant of up to $550 per year to cover the cost of running the lights.
Council then discussed at length the proposed change in sewage rates. It had previously agreed to go to a winter average rate to accommodate those residents who water gardens, landscaping or lawns or fill pools in the summer. None of that water is sent through the sewage system and the idea is that ratepayers should not be effectively penalized for keeping their homes and lawns looking nice.
The current rate is set at a $20 base charge per water meter, plus a $3.75 fee for each 1,000 gallons.
The proposals from Mecham are either maintain the $20 base rate and change the fee to $3.67 per 1,000 gallons or go to a zero base rate and charge $8.50 per 1,000 gallons.
After much discussion and input from the audience members, Alsup offered to have two ordinances created, and when the council has studied the proposals and talked to their constituents, vote at an upcoming council meeting prior to the annual budget being prepared.