The City of St. Joseph has had a “pretty good year,” fiscally speaking. That’s according to Doug Host of Clifton Larson Allen, the firm that just completed an audit of the city’s finances.
Host offererd City Council members an audit presentation for the year ending June 30, 2016. The City’s revenues exceeded expenditures by $2.1 million, with revenues over budget and expenditures under budget, Host said.
Total general fund revenues exceeded the budget by 3% or $1.4 million. The total current-year espenditures were at 94% of the budget. Public Safety expenses made up the lion’s share of total city spending (about $27 million), followed by general government, highways and streets, debt service, parks and recreation, health and welfare, and public works.
The report says operating revenues for the Sewer Fund increased 16%, while total operating expenses, including depreciation, increases by .04%. Operating revenues for the Mass Transit Fund dropped by nearly 17%.
The City Council took no formal action in its work session Wednesday evening. They then held a special meeting, behind closed doors, to “discuss matters pertaining to leasing, purchase or sale of real estate by a public governmental body.” Officials would not comment on what was discussed, or what, if any action was taken.