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City manager questions quality of auditing, approves officer to proof budget line items
Budget Officer Carol Craig was approved by Eagle Lake City Council members at the Sept. 10 council meeting to essentially “proof” line items within the city’s budget.
City Manager Charles “Tink” Jackson first introduced Craig to council members before diving into his thoughts on the city’s auditing system, remarking how the current auditor only “basically looks at the bottom line of each fund” instead of extensively looking through each line item.
“The thing that I do not like about our financial auditing system that we have here is that the auditor at the end of the year,” said Jackson. “All he basically does is look at the bottom line of each fund.”
Jackson says the auditor would only ensure that as long as the city brought in more money than was spent, the auditor signs off on the job and says they are done.
The apparent lack of attention to detail did not sit right with Jackson, who highlights how a majority of the time, there will be line items that are overdrawn because of personnel or other factors, causing overdrawing with personnel but underspending on supply or other things.
“I do not like leaving the books like that at the end of the year,” said Jackson. “I want everything to be in the black at the end of the year so that everything looks good. This resolution would allow interfund so in other words, in the police department, if we had to buy some extra fuel, and we went over the fuel line item, but we spent less in supplies, it would allow the budget officer to go in and make that small transfer from that we are doing in our head anyway.”
Council members also approved a Routine Airport Maintenance Program (RAMP) Agreement for 2025 with the Texas Department of Transportation Aviation Division.
The agreement and application form are filled out by the city every year according to Jackson, with this “year being no different.” The form states that if the city were to spend $111,111 at the airport, they would receive $100,000 of that back from rent from qualifying projects.
“They went with the $100,000 mark again for 2025,” said Jackson. “Which is up to 50. Obviously the second year we have that and we were able to do a lot of stuff out there this year.”
A decision was made by council members to remove the barbecue pits located at the Eagle Lake Golf Course on Oct. 20 after research was done to ensure no historical pits were removed in the process.
After discussions with groups that have previously used the pits, council found that the pits were no longer being regularly used and felt the equipment was outdated.
The Alliance Club that was using them do not plan on using them ever again according to council members. The last group planning on using the pits before they are officially removed is the Catholic Church located in town, who are holding a program Oct. 20.
“We are making the decision to remove them,” said Mayor Timothy L. Kelley. “I do not think we should supply barbecue pits because they are old and outdated. The golf course will utilize that area in a better way. We are going to borrow fundraisers or something to get money to build a workshop shed or another structure.”
Council lastly approved street closures for the Eagle Lake wild festival given the festival’s duration. The city submitted a resolution to TxDOT requesting the closure. The purpose of the resolution would allow the streets to close in the morning all the way until 10 p.m. at night.
