The Greene County Democrat

Tag: USDA Rural Development

  • City of Eutaw’s finances are improving according to Mayor Latasha Johnson

    Mayor Latasha Johnson

    In her report, at the end of a routine Eutaw City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, Mayor Latasha Johnson announced, “Our city finances are improving, we have paid the IRS lien; we have paid the Greene County Board of Education in full for the Carver School, which we are converting to the Robert H. Young Community Center; and we have paid the Industrial Development Authority in full (approximately $85,000) for a loan they made to us to extend the sewage line to the Love’s Truck Stop at Exit 40 on Interstate 20/59.

    Mayor Johnson also reported that the city had been able to meet all requirements of the USDA Rural Development agency for the loan to improve the City’s water system. All required reserve accounts have been satisfied and the annual payment of $102,281.25 is available to pay this obligation on or before January 1, 2022.

    “We have been able to get a better grip on our city finances, with the help of our financial consultant and a CPA that is doing our audits. The reason our finances are improving are three-fold, better staffing that has developed a budget and fiscal controls; better staffing of our water department which has reduced losses and increased collections; and the additional sales and gas tax revenues we have received, primarily from the
    success of the Love’s Truck and Travel Center,” said Mayor Johnson.

    “When we came into office, our finances were a mess and we could not tell if we were going to be able to pay our bills. IRS had a lien against all city property for past due employee taxes. We were able, during the year, to slowly get a handle on our finances. Reconcile and rearrange our bank accounts. Develop a budget to monitor our expenses. We also worked to straighten out the Water Department and collect unpaid bills. All these steps have placed our city in a better position to go forward, to seek grants and to provide basic services to our residents,” said Johnson.

    The Council also voted to use $27,000 in unspent American Rescue Plan funds to provide a $542 incentive to each city employee who is fully vaccinated for the coronavirus. Employees must present evidence of vaccination to receive this year-end benefit.

    In other actions, the Eutaw City Council, approved:

    • Travel reimbursements for Police Chief Tommy Johnson, Municipal Judge Joshua Swords, and four city magistrates for attending various training sessions.

    • The assignment and assumption of the garbage collection contract from Waste Away Group Inc. (Waste Management) to the Arrow Disposal Company.

    • A rental agreement with the Tribe of Jacobs Ladder for one room at the R.H. Young Community Center.

    • Use of the gym at the RH Young Community Center to Rev. McIntosh, BluePrint for Leadership Alabama on December 22, 2021.

    • Holidays for city employees for Dec. 22 (half-day) and Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas; and December 29 (half-day) and Dec. 30 and 31, for New Years.
    • Paying all bills through December 31, 2021.

    • Not holding a City Council meeting on the fourth Tuesday because of the holidays.

     

     

  • Eutaw City Council continues to debate financial issues

    The Eutaw City Council met twice during the past month on June 11 and June 25 to do the business of the city. The Council continues to debate financial issues which affect other major policy and project decisions.
    The Council still does not have a clear budget, showing income sources and expenditures. A budget and an audit are being worked on but no written information is available yet for the City Council as a basis for its actions. Two separate CPA firms are working on the budget and audits but no documents have been produced yet.
    A budget would be helpful for the City Council to see the flow of incoming revenues and the payment of expenses for planning future projects and obligations. The audits are needed to verify past operations to file applications with USDA Rural Development, ADECA and other state and federal agencies for needed equipment and new projects to improve the city.
    A listing of bills to be paid was presented at each meeting. The June 11 list shows $276,365 in unpaid bills and the June 25 listing shows a reduction in outstanding bills to $265,243.
    Councilwoman Latosha Johnson praised City Clerk Kathy Bir for preparing an understandable list of the City’s obligations to allow the council to make decisions on which bills are most pressing and need immediate payment.
    The Mayor suggested using funds in a special infrastructure account, set up by the Sheriff, with bingo funds, to pay for improvements to the Branch Heights Roads. These roads were repaired using funds in the highway tax accounts. Several council-members opposed the Mayor’s proposal to spend these funds to pay other bills and initiate other road repair projects without consulting with the Sheriff and clarifying what the City did and plans to do with funds. Again, it is clear that a budget with up to date revenue and expenditure amounts would help to resolve what seemed to be difficult and at times insurmountable problems facing the city.In a related financial matter, the City Council and Mayor deadlocked in a 3 to 3 vote, with Latosha Johnson, Sheila Smith and LaJeffrey Carpenter voting in favor and Joe Lee Powell, Benny Abrams and Mayor Raymond Steele voting against a proposal for pay increases for the police force, supported by donations from the TS Police League, a bingo charity associated with the Palace Bingo Group. The Mayor voted for a tie vote to stop the motion until he had time to discuss with the City Attorney and other legal advisors.
    In other actions, the City Council:
    • Heard from City Attorney Zane Willingham that the Sate Legislature had passed local legislation to allow for Sunday liquor sales; Willingham said he would draft a new ordinance for on and off premises sale of alcoholic beverages, for consideration at the next Council meeting;
    • Received a report from Rev. Jerome McIntosh of SCORE International, a religious organization that wishes to partner with the City on a job skills training program, to be offered at the Carver School – Robert H. Young Community Center;
    • Approved travel expenses for Police Chief Derrick Coleman to attend a conference on leadership at UNA in Fort Payne on June12-14, 2019;
    • Referred legal claims from Erica Purse and Roland Elliot to the City Attorney;
    • Appointed Mrs. Isaac Atkins to serve on the Eutaw Housing Authority Board of Directors.
    During the public comment period, a number of residents complained about drainage, road repairs, grass cutting, refuse removal and other similar problems in areas around the city.