Accountant unable to reconcile Menahga’s ledger, bank activity
The Menahga City Council agreed to additional accounting and internal control examinations by Eide Bailly LLP at their May 10 meeting. It passed on a 4-1 vote, with council member Art Huebner opposed. 1:01 pm, May 24, 2021 ×
Forensic accounting will continue at Menahga City Hall.
The Menahga City Council agreed to additional accounting and internal control examinations by Eide Bailly LLP at their May 10 meeting. It passed on a 4-1 vote, with council member Art Huebner opposed.
In March, Eide Bailly was hired to compare the city’s general ledger with bank account activity between Nov. 1, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2021.
Menahga City Council will discuss further at an May work session. 8:30 pm, Apr. 16, 2021 ×
Menahga Mayor Liz Olson called for a special budget meeting after seeing a negative checking balance and deficit spending in the 2021 budget.
She voiced her concerns at the Monday, April 12 city council meeting.
“How can these checkbook balances be in a deficit?” Olson asked, referring to the check reconciliation report for March 2021. Eight funds showed a negative balance, ranging from -$373 to -$347,775.
City Administrator Curt Kreklau said it was a coding issue in the accounting software. The 2021A fire truck fund, for example, shows a -$108,910 balance. It’s a bond payment that the city made, he said.
Hubbard County cities keep pace with statewide growth trend
Per capita, small cities lagged behind large in the state auditor s report on 2019 Minnesota city finances.
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Enterprise staff | ×
Infogram by Enterprise staff
State Auditor Julie Blaha’s office reported that Minnesota cities’ revenues increased by 6.7 percent and expenses increased 7.2 percent in 2019.
The 2019 Minnesota City Finances Report, released at the end of February, summarizes current and long-term trends based on city reporting forms, financial statements and audits.
“While the strain on city finances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic remains ongoing, this report shows robust growth for cities in both revenues and expenditures in the year prior,” Blaha said in a media release.
Menahga City Council initiates water tower, street, sewer planning
The council hired an engineering firm to write a facility plan for street and sewer improvements and a design to replace the existing water tower. 11:45 am, Feb. 17, 2021 ×
The Menahga water tower stands in the background of this 2018 Menahga Midsummer water war.Enterprise file photo
The Menahga City Council hired Ulteig Engineers, Inc. on Feb. 9 to complete two engineering plans: one for street improvements and another to replace the existing water tower.
The council also approved grant applications to Sourcewell and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for energy and environment planning and implementation.
Menahga swears in new mayor, two council members
Mayor Liz Olson and council members Durwin Tomperi and Dan Warmbold took their oaths of office on Jan. 12. 4:00 pm, Jan. 15, 2021 ×
Menahga City Administrator Curt Kreklau, not shown, swears in new council member Durwin Tomperi, Mayor Liz Olson and council member Dan Warmbold at the Jan. 12 meeting. (Shannon Geisen/Enterprise)
Three new faces joined the Menahga City Council at Tuesday’s meeting.
Mayor Liz Olson and council members Durwin Tomperi and Dan Warmbold took their oaths of office.
“I think it’s going to be, I’m hoping, a very good time – that we’re going to be able to move our city forward,” Olson said in an opening statement. “I was encouraged to run mainly because of the financial piece by many of the residents. I want to make sure that, whatever we end up voting on tonight or any other time, that we do make sure that we do have the funds.”