In regard to our discussion at the special council meeting on Thursday, September 1, 2022, I still have concerns that the city is in violation of Chapter 7.20, Police Service Fee ordinance. Please post your thoughts about this!
A 501(c)(3) Organization
In regard to our discussion at the special council meeting on Thursday, September 1, 2022, I still have concerns that the city is in violation of Chapter 7.20, Police Service Fee ordinance.
Specifically, 7.20.060 Dedicated Funds.
(A) There shall be established a police services fund as a sub-fund of the General Fund. All police service fee revenues imposed and collected under this chapter shall be deposited in the police services fund.
(B) Money in the police services fund shall be used for the purposes of City police services as determined each year during the budget process. The police service fee shall not be used for any other governmental or proprietary functions of the City. Any revenues in excess of actual expenses as identified in the budget process shall be carried forward to the next year’s budget. (Ord. 532 §6, 2021)
There appears to be no “sub-fund” in the General Fund titled “police services fund”, as required in Paragraph (A). Both the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 budgets list the following sub-funds in the general fund: Council, Administration, police, municipal Court, parks department, and planning program. Again, neither budget has a PSE sub-fund.
The police service fees collected are deposited in the general fund – resources, budget line 31, 10-922 in budget years, 2021-2022 and 2022-23-023. Following this, there is no obvious expenditure line item in either the general fund –administration detailed expenditures or the general fund – police detailed expenditures, in either budget or the monthly financial statements approved by the city council.
There appears to be no specific guidance in the budget packages as to the authorized expenditure of the PSF as required in paragraph (B). Additionally, there is no indication as to any funds from 2021-2022 being carried forward into the 2022-2023 budget, as required in paragraph (B).
Please show me the financial path for the PSF in the budget and monthly financial statements.
Respectfully,
Jay Disbrow
I totally agree with you! The city council just acted on this fee without having a plan in place to put the funds in a correct account.