City finances receive clean audit opinion

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The City of Snyder received a clean audit and council members learned the city has enough money in the general fund reserves to cover about 11 months of the city’s general operations, but that would not include water, sewer and sanitation.
Diane Terrell, a certified public accountant with Abilene-based Davis Kinard, told the council that although property taxes were over budget by $122,499 during the last fiscal year, sales tax revenue was down $389,666 and overall general fund city revenues were down $285,358.
The general fund pays for basic city functions such as the fire and police departments.
Total expenditures were also below budget, by $405,018, meaning the city brought in $119,660 more than it budgeted in the general fund.
At the end of the fiscal year, the city had just over $7 million in unassigned funds in its general reserve fund. At the end of last fiscal year, the city had more than $7.6 million in its general reserve fund.
The enterprise fund budget, which includes water, sewer and sanitation, brought in a total of nearly $9.4 million in revenue. It had expenses of just under $9.5 million, resulting in a loss of $117,153.
No one from the public spoke during a public hearing about the city abandoning the 1800 block of 9th Street, which runs between the Southern Electric hardware store and lumber yard.
The council later voted on the first reading of an ordinance agreeing to the request.
Richard Reed, a co-owner of Southern Electric, requested that the city abandon the street which has long been a safety concern.
Reed said he would install gates at both the College Ave. and Ave. R entrances, which will allow utilities to access their easements.
The council also voted on the second reading of an ordinance changing some roll-off Dumpster and landfill rates and held a pair of closed sessions.
The council met behind closed doors for 23 minutes to discuss public power competitive matters, and took no action, and then met for nine minutes and after reconvening in open session voted to allow City Manager Merle Taylor to continue negotiations on real property.