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.

Taxpayers in St. Joseph will foot the bill for demolition of an old downtown building. Ironically, some of the money will come from a grant fund intended to help owners of historic buildings repair them.

On Tuesday, the City Council voted to approve spending about $390,000 to demolish the Carpet Mill building at Fourth and Angelique.

Officials say they’ve been trying for get the owner of the building to make repairs for quite some time. Last Summer the building sustained storm damage that made saving the building impossible. Demolition got underway a few weeks ago, but was delayed by utility and hazardous-materials issues. Recent winter weather pushed back the demo until at least next month.

According to City Manager Bruce Woody, after the owner failied to cooperate, the city decided to take care of the costs and then place a lien on the property.

The money will come from the city’s general fund, as well as the gaming initiatives fund and a block grant fund. The gaming initiatives fund supports the Save Our Heritage grant program, an effort to help building owners make repairs to historic buildings.

Voters in Savannah will get yet another chance to increase that city’s sales tax in April.

The Board of Aldermen on Tuesday night approved an ordinance to put a half-cent sales tax increase on the ballot. Voters will also select a mayor and two aldermen in the municipal election.

Voters rejected a similar proposal last November. The local tax has not increased in about 20 years.

City leaders point out that they only receive about two cents of the current tax of about 8.45 cents on the dollar). The proposal on the ballot this spring would increase that to 8.95 cents.

City Clerk Beth Kar on Wednesday was formalizing the ballot language in order to submit the matter to the Andrew County Clerk who will then certify the ballot next week.

“SHALL THE CITY OF SAVANNAH, MISSOURI, IMPOSE A SALES TAX INCREASE OF ONE-HALF OF ONE PERCENT (.5%) FOR GENERAL REVENUE PURPOSES, SPECIFICALLY INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, EMERGENCY AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES?”

If approved by voters, the increase would go into effect on the first day of the second calendar quarter after notice is filed with state Department of Revenue.

The municipal election is April 4. The board on Tuesday agreed to hold a public hearing on March 20 on the tax increase question.