BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Clarkston added $2,839 to its General Fund savings account in fiscal year 2018, with $16,858 in parking fees playing a major role in that surplus.
“The big story would be the new parking fund,” said Rana Emmons, CPA with PSLZ LLP, in her annual audit report to City Council, Monday night.
The parking revenue is for a quarter of the year. The parking kiosk at the city’s Main and Washington street lot started collecting fees last April, so only April through June counted towards the 2018 fiscal year, Emmons said.
Governmental activity revenue increases for 2018 were $42,682 over the prior year, which also included about $19,500 more in major and local street revenues from the state, she said.
The city ended with a General Fund balance of $249,089 and a total government fund balance of $342,892, according to this year’s budget audit.
“You have done a nice job of planning, not doing spur of the moment things,” Emmons said. “You don’t have a lot of money to work with, but you do a good job monitoring it.”
The fund balance is about 33 percent of the 2018 General Fund expenditures of $747,689, which is considered healthy, Emmons said.
The Water Fund increased by $18,793 to $355,306; and the Sewer Fund increased by $18,759 to $334,820.
Council member Scott Reynolds said previous city discussions included borrowing from the sewer and water funds, which total $690,126, for city hall renovations and addition.
Emmons said the city doesn’t have outstanding debt in the two funds.
“If you pay interest back and don’t cut short the cash flow, it’s probably OK to do that,” she said.
General Fund revenues totalled $775,374. General Fund expenditures totalled $747,689, and the city transferred $24,846 from the General Fund for capital projects.
Budgeted expenditures included increased CDBG spending of $11,500; additional park materials, $6,174; and additional engineering fees for city projects, $10,600.
The General Fund increase of $70,604 included the sale of a front-end loader and an increase in the Community Development Block Grant.
In 2018, the city capital asset additions included a cab truck loader, $52,540; mower, $8,899; parking pay station, $10,350; park playground equipment, $4,798; and sprinkler system in Depot Park, $2,038.
Property tax revenues increased $9,042 to $495,989, a 1.2 percent increase over last year, and state shared revenues increased $2,596, 3 percent, for a total federal, state, and local revenue of $99,758 into the General Fund.
The total net position of the city’s governmental activities – cash, cash equivalents, property, and investments minus debts – was $3,113,116 for 2018. The 2017 total net position was $3,052,510. The city paid off $207,000 in total bonded debt, leaving a total general obligation debt of $1,212,000. The two general obligation bonds are due in 2022 and 2024, Emmons said.
Council voted 4-0 to accept and file the audit.

  clarkston audit