Ritzville City Council approves 2014 Budget Amendments

During their regular session on Dec. 16 the Ritzville City Council voted to approve Ordinance 2083 amending the 2014 Budget.

The ordinance addressed the additional revenues and expenses in six funds, which were not anticipated at the adoption of the 2014 Budget.

The first fund amended is Current Expense with an additional $157,000 in revenues and expenses. Of that, $140,000 came from grant money received by the city and $17,000 from miscellaneous revenues.

The council set $156,000 in capital outlay and $1,000 allocated into the ending balance.

The Street Department saw an additional $130,000 in revenues with $100,000 from grants and $30,000 from Adams County for the walk and bike path project.

Additionally $415,000 had been budgeted for capital outlay, which did not occur. Instead $520,000 was transferred to the Capital Improvement fund for the street projects this year.

In the Utility fund $40,000 was originally budgeted for capital outlay. Instead, $50,000 was transferred to the Capital Improvement fund for the new downtown bathrooms.

The additional $10,000 was reflected in the funds ending balance of $56,200 opposed to $66,200.

According to the auditor capital outlay’s can no longer be taken directly out of special funds and instead must be transferred to the Capital Improvement fund before being paid out.

This resulted in an additional $570,000 transferred in and out of the fund for projects around the city.

The Utility Deposit fund saw an additional $500 dollars in expenditures from people re-claiming their deposits. This resulted in a change of the ending balance in the fund from $8,000 to $7,500.

The final fund affected was the Equipment Rental and Reserve Fund.

The original budget planned for $130,000 in capital outlay and was amended to $220,000. The additional $90,000 accounted for the two fire trucks purchased this year to help bring the fire department rating up.

Council member David Grove moved to adopt the ordinance.

He also requested that in the future there be at least one amendment to the budget mid-way through the year. He said he did not like the appearance of waiting until the last meeting to make everything square with the budget.

Ben Cross seconded the motion and also voiced his sympathy with Grove.

The ordinance was adopted unanimously by the council.