By: James Pruitt
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
The ever rising costs of audits by the state on village finances will require tapping into enterprise funds to pay for it.
Fiscal Officer April McMillen told the council the cost has risen to $18,245, an increase of $2,500 from last year. Changes in the way the state requires the audit to be completed are behind the higher cost, she said.
The village has been able to pay for the audit out of the general fund, but now it will have to tap into the enterprise funds, McMillen said. This has been allowed under state law since 2009-10, she said.
The breakdown is as follows:
Electric 53 percent
General Fund 23 percent
Water 16 percent
Sanitary Sewer 7 percent
The village will face a higher insurance bill this year, and have to pay for 1.5 years coverage this year, McMillen said.
“We pay our insurance a year after we’ve used it,” McMillen said. “And they want to get caught up like any other insurance agency.”
This means the village will have to pay for 2015 and 2016 now and 2017 in December. The village normally gets a rebate, but this year that will be used to lower the premium for 2015.
That comes to a little more than $8,900 for 2015, plus a full payment for 2016 and another full payment in December, McMillen said.
“There will be some added costs for workmen’s comp,” McMillen said.
In other news:
The next council meeting has been moved to 7 p.m., May 16 to accommodate a meeting with Madison Township’s board.
Habitat for Humanity of Williams County had its first build event April 16 at the Maple Street site. The agency is building a home for a single mother with two boys.
James Pruitt may be reached at
publisher@thevillagereporter.com