Linn gets a clean but late audit

By Theresa Brandt, Staff Writer
Posted 3/8/23

LINN — Linn aldermen got a clean audit, which was finally completed on Feb. 6.

“It’s only five months late,” City Treasurer Janelle Jaegers joked.

The audit showed …

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Linn gets a clean but late audit

Posted

LINN — Linn aldermen got a clean audit, which was finally completed on Feb. 6.

“It’s only five months late,” City Treasurer Janelle Jaegers joked.

The audit showed the city of Linn is in a good financial position and offered only minor recommendations.

According to the audit, “the city exceeded its liabilities and deferred inflows of resources for the fiscal year by $5,923,303.”

The financial statement shows that the city had total revenues for the year of $2,416,876 and total expenses of $1,441,818. Total capital assets are $7,631,892, with total liabilities of $2,341,018.

Linn shows long-term debt totaling $1,476,300, down from the previous fiscal year by $168,400.

The audit noted that there was an increase of $975,058 in government and business-type activities due to a large capital grant that was received. The city’s general fund balance decreased by $81,055 to $730,839 due to an increase in the current fiscal year’s expenditures that included street improvements. The parks fund increased by $15,570 to $138,227. The water fund balance increased by 4% due to decreased expenses. The water fund totaled $1,342,113. The wastewater fund also increased over last year by 50%, thanks to decreased expenses and grant money. The total for that account was $1,373,662.

Linn’s total expenditures were under budget by $59,328.

As of Jan. 1, 2021, the city tax on personal property was $4,172,985.

In other business, Pools Made Possible installed a new pump at the city pool, and replaced a valve, and added a hose inlet to the kiddy pool so it could be primed from the pool house.

Pools Made Possible will return to open the pool for the season.

The city will store the old pump with its new drive for backup if there are future problems.

In related pool news, Aldermen Bill Turner looked into purchasing shades for several areas around the pool. He suggested using 16-foot triangle cloths that would provide shade inside various areas of the fence. The shade cloth has holes to let the wind through, and the shades would be removed and stored for the winter months. Turner noted that the shades are readily available from several different sources, and prices vary from $50 to $1,000 each. The shades would require metal poles to hold them up, and Turner questioned exactly how those would be anchored to the concrete.

Aldermen will consider where to put the shades and bring in a material sample at the next meeting.

Turner volunteered to remove the stairs to the pool slide so it could be refinished. Mayor Dwight Massey said that State Tech has offered to sandblast them and that they will have to be taken somewhere to be powder-coated afterward.

• Aldermen hired Cheryl Schreiman on a part-time basis to focus on the city’s parks. Schreiman is retiring from the state and was looking for a part-time job. She has already been talking to Utilities Superintendent Larry Fredrich about things she can do to help the city, including pulling sewer samples and taking them to the lab and familiarizing herself with the lawnmowers so she is ready to cut grass.

“I’m excited to have someone dedicated to the parks,” Massey said. “She’s a hustler. She’s really focused on the details. I’m really excited to turn her loose and see what she can do for us.”

• Aldermen agreed to continue their contract with Republic Services for trash pickup. The trash contract between the city and Republic Services will need to be renewed in 120 days, and Republic Services contacted the city and reminded them that they had the option to solicit bids for the service.

“I’m personally very happy with the service that they’ve been giving us,” Mayor Massey said. “I feel they are taking care of the needs of the city, and they are doing it as reasonably as we can expect.”

Aldermen agreed, noting that it has been difficult to get bids for trash service in the past that are comparable to the services that the city now receives.

“I see them now that I am home during the middle of the day,” said Aldermen Rick Niewald. “They’ll stop in the middle of the street and pick up a piece of trash. That’s almost unheard of these days.”

Massey noted that Republic Services assured him the rate increase would be minimal when the contract is offered.

• Spring Cleanup is scheduled for May 12.

• Grellner will soon receive training on how to program the message for the city sign at the west end of town. Aldermen Steve Boeckmann and Turner agreed to get the training as well to be a backup for Grellner.

  Fredrich reported that he is going to pull samples for the new water line installed on Lee Street. The line is not yet servicing any residents. He also plans to pull the carpet out of the police chief’s office to determine where the mold smell originates.

“There is a possibility of black mold in there, and for safety’s sake, we are going to pull it up and let the office get painted,”  Fredrich said.

• The wash bay has recently been cleaned out by Mark Connley, who works for Aplex, Inc. The cost is not to exceed $5,000 but does not include the garage door or the new walk-in door.

• Aldermen approved liquor licenses for St. George Catholic Church for the Spring Fling (April 15), the Church Picnic (June 25), and the Fall Festival (Oct. 1).

• Aldermen approved resident Loreal Wethington’s request for a sewer reduction after recently filling her swimming pool. City Clerk Carrie Grellner was not sure of the exact amount.

• The Linn License Fee Office has two new employees.

• The board approved expenses of $226,318.63.

• Linn had the following account balances in its governmental fund accounts: general ($348,019.01), pool (-$17,117.27), park ($105,901.84), police training ($3,568.18), general fund-improvement and equipment ($8,646.09), park-improvement and equipment ($15,792.30), and pool-improvement and equipment ($13,985.14).

• The city has the following account balances in its business-type fund accounts: water ($449,120.66), water replacement ($150,077.17), sewer ($484,903.39), sewer replacement ($105,485.30), and grants (-$55,172.01).

• Linn holds nine certificates of deposit totaling $1,093,678.03.

• A budget meeting will be held on March 14 at 5 p.m., and the next regularly scheduled meeting is slated for March 21 at 5 p.m.