Staff writer
Dale Clark of Knudsen and Monroe reviewed the city audit with Mayor Larry Larsen and Peabody City Council members Monday night.
He issued a cautionary statement about the city’s cash balances which ended $100,000 lower than they were at the beginning of the fiscal year.
“You aren’t going to get slapped by the state for this,” he said. “But you need to begin to working on it and get those amounts back into a more comfortable range.”
As the council faces multiple finance meetings to get the 2013 budget ready for publication, it is already tightening its belt and calling for cuts in all departments.
“There are only two ways to change the year-end balances to meet the auditor’s expectations in the future,” City Administrator Mac Manning said. “We can cut spending or increase revenues.”
Manning said deeper cuts in spending would likely result in reduced services and an increase revenues could mean higher taxes or fees.
The council’s finance committee will meet at 6 p.m. today in the Ann Potter room at the library to work with department heads on trimming budgets.
In other business:
- Peabody Care Center Administrator Melissa Parmley received permission to barricade Locust Street between Third and Fourth streets on the afternoon and evening of July 3. The care facility will be hosting a community appreciation barbecue with entertainment and fireworks.
- Council members addressed a request by Amy Bayes bring Shetland ponies to the city park on July 4 and give pony rides. After discussion, council member Tom Schmidt agreed to meet with Bayes and Public Works Director Darren Pickens to review the amount of space and shade she needs and find a place to accommodate her request.
- The council approved an application for a retail sales permit for a Class C fireworks stand from Roger Perkins of Newton. He will have his stand on the north parking lot of the Coneburg Inn.
- Peabody Main Street and Economic Development Director Shane Marler reported that the new owners of Peabody Lanes are ready to sign a rental agreement with Sunflower Development. They hope to open the bowling alley before fall.
- The council was informed that students will return to school on Aug. 17, so the pool will close Aug. 19. Pool manager Beth Peter reminded the council that Peabody-Burns Recreation Commission will sponsor a free swim day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 4.
- Pickens told the council that 13 trees have been removed from the city park. He said another 4 to 6 will probably need to be removed.
- Schmidt asked Manning to contact APAC and get a firm date on when they will begin the remainder of the Locust Street repairs and paving. APAC initially agreed to wait until after July 4 to begin the project, but gave no specific timeline.
- In a related matter, Schmidt asked Pickens and Manning to get together with the street committee before the work on Locust begins to map out an alternative route for residents on south Locust so they are not cutoff from their homes.
The next meeting of Peabody City Council will be at 7 p.m. July 9 in the city building