Amador County – Sutter Creek City Council last week heard a preliminary budget summary for its fiscal year 2010-2011 showing the city $30,000 in the black.

Finance Director Joe Aguilar said the report for the close of June was about 30 days behind schedule. He said bills and invoices come in September, and are reconciled from grants and the general fund. He said he and his staff have created a preliminary summary showing the city is $30,000 in the black and “without a $50,000 hit, we would have been $80,000 in the black.”

City Manager Sean Rabe said the hit was a little bit over $60,000 but the city had an $88,000 contingency, and “we beat that.” Aguilar said “that’s why the contingency was there” and it was “very wise of the Council to approach it that way.” He said the final numbers could change by $5,000 up or down after all numbers are reconciled.

The summary estimated $1.42 million in general fund revenue through June 2011, and $1.39 million in expenditures. In public comment, Mimi Arata asked if it was “normal to be several months late.” Aguilar said “we don’t have our sales tax until September” and the report was probably about a month late.

Arata said it was difficult to see what changed in the 40-page summary. Aguilar said “this is the first time that we have seen the June numbers.” He said he could have a summary with the next report. Vice Mayor Linda Rianda said she did not think a summary was necessary, as she herself looks at budget changes by the page.

Rabe said they should have a summary because when it is finalized, numbers will changes.

Aguilar said “finance staff is in the middle of closing the fiscal books” with “additional accruals and adjustments to be made to various accounts.” He said: “We do not expect the final adjustments to materially change the final outcome in the General and Sewer Funds.” He expected the work to be ready for review in about a month.

Also last week, Aguilar gave a first quarter report for the city General Fund, saying they “don’t have any surprises.” He said “cash flow is in the negative but that is normal because our big revenues come in December, January and April.” He said “there are no changes in our expectations in the General Fund budget.”

His next report will be on the Gas Tax Fund. He said overtime, retirement costs and health insurance are on target and taxes and benefits need to be on target because it affects employee W-2 forms.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.