City of Powell River councillors have accepted documentation pertaining to the 2019 audit of the city’s finances.
At the August 20 city council meeting, councillors first reviewed the 2019 audit results and communications report.
Councillor and finance committee chair George Doubt said at a previous finance committee meeting, council had the auditor present via videoconference going through the audit final report and communications he’s had with council and staff.
“It’s a clean audit report and I appreciate the hard work that staff has gone through to make it that way,” said Doubt.
Councillor Cindy Elliott asked if the public is wanting to see this report, where can they find it. Doubt said the public could find the report on the August 20 council agenda on the city’s website.
Mayor Dave Formosa said he’d like to give a “shout out” to council for the great job and hard work in getting this together, and to council for a good, hard year’s work.
Council voted unanimously to accept the report.
Council then considered the 2019 consolidated audited financial statements. Doubt said the report had the detailed financial statements of all of the transactions in the city in 2019. He said it lists where the money came from, where it went and what the reserves are, et cetera. He said it provides line-by-line reviews for each of the areas the city manages.
“It’s also very good reading and if any of the public wants to spend some time looking at large numbers of numbers, you can really get some good lessons on where the money is going in the city and how many different things there are to be taken care of,” said Doubt. “It’s a fine and thorough report. Our finances are definitely under control.”
Councillor Jim Palm said he reviewed the overall expenses of the city’s operation. He added that he is going to survey council down the road to see if there is an appetite to bring something forward to the committee of the whole to talk about expenses, and travel costs, particularly. He said it may be worthwhile to try and put a cap on it for the coming year in order to show in these times, where the city is short of funds, that this is something council may look at to reduce the overall cost.
Councillor Maggie Hathaway said in order to accomplish this, council will have to wait and see how the September Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention goes, where it’s entirely online, rather than councillors travelling to Victoria to attend it in person.
“That’s the way of the future,” said Hathaway. “We are going to have savings whether we want it or not, which, of course, we do.”
Palm said he was not only talking about council, by staff as well.
Hathaway said she was sure they would be going to that virtual world the same as councillors.
Council voted unanimously to accept the 2019 consolidated audited financial statements.
