Savanna City Council Hears Audit Report, Retains Haffey as Mayor Pro Tem

By MICHAEL MILLER | For The Prairie Advocate news

SAVANNA – The Savanna City Council listened to a lengthy and detailed Power Point presentation on the results of their latest Financial Audit and unanimously approved allowing Peg Haffey to continue as Mayor Pro Tem, at the latest meeting of the Council on January 9th, 2013.

The meeting was attended by Council members Bill Scott, Merle Long, Bill Robinson, Peg Haffey, Toni McCombie, Carol Fosdick, and Lois Hunsaker, with Jeff Griswold absent. Also attending were Mayor Larry Stebbins, City Clerk Paul Hartman, Treasurer/Comptroller Sheryl Sipe, Police Chief Michael Moon, Fire Chief Shawn Picolotti and Public Works Superintendent John Lindeman.

Scott Roberts and Pat McCarthy from Conner, Brooks and Company, an auditing firm, then presented their findings to the Council regarding the City’s 2012 Financial Statements. The City fared quite well in these audits, though the firm did have some recommendations, among them making efforts to segregate duties, and a reminder that no organization other than the City should have the City’s identification number on it in regards to bank accounts. There were no findings of any serious consequence to the City.

Jensen wondered how the City fared in relation to other cities in terms on debt ratio, and McCarthy’s response was “pretty good,” adding that a $700,000.00 debt for a city the size of Savanna is ‘relatively small.’

Two bids were received on the sale of the City’s 2002 Chevy Impala, one for $300.00 and one for $500.00. The City went with the higher bid, from Don Nevills and awarded Mr. Nevills the vehicle based on this.

On a motion from Long, seconded by Hunsaker, the Council unanimously approved retaining Haffey as the Mayor Pro Tem for 2013.

In a meeting with a remarkably light agenda, there was no Old Business, nor any New Business.

In Final Comments, Hunsaker mentioned that she’d like to see Amtrak return to Savanna, and Stebbins noted that it’s hard to support and justify such a venture with Savanna’s low population.

Responding to a question from McCombie, Jensen said that investigations continue into the City’s belief that Mediacom owes them about $10,000.00, with the attorney commenting that if he can verify his opinion about the definition of “gross revenue,” a breach of contract suit may be one option.