BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
Clarkston gave a good account of itself in 2019, according to the audit of its 2018-2019 budget.
The budget, managed by City Manager Jonathan Smith, Clerk Jennifer Speagle, and Treasurer Greg Cote, received the highest level possible in the audit, an unmodified opinion, said Rana Emmons of PSLZ LLC Certified Public Accountants.
“You really have a great team in place, a small team that gets a lot done,” Emmons said.
According to the audited budget, Clarkston’s property tax revenue for 2019 is $754,267, up from $740,416 in 2018, an increase of $13,851, 1.9 percent, over the prior year.
State-shared revenues are up, from $82,184 in 2018 to $85,533 in 2019, an increase of $3,349, or four percent.
Total revenues are up from $1.42 million in 2018 to $1.52 million in 2019.
Total expenses are also up, from $1.36 million in 2018 to $1.47 million in 2019.
Public works expenses increased from $423,228 in 2018 to $532,147 in 2019; Community Development increased from $47,169 in 2018 to $48,627 in 2019; and Public Safety expenses increased from $287,085 in 2018 to $289,279 in 2019.
General Government expenses decreased, however, from $296,839 in 2018 to $278,066 in 2019.
The city had a decrease of $8,790 in net position in its governmental activities for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, compared to a $23,054 increase for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018.
General Fund revenues exceeded expenditures in fiscal year 2019 by $88, which included operating transfers out of $58,928, as compared to revenues exceeding expenditures in fiscal year 2018 by $2,839. Governmental activity revenues for fiscal year 2019 increased by $55,792 over the prior year as the city received approximately $9,600 more in major and local street revenues from the state and had a full year of parking fees reflected in the parking fund.
Fund balance activity included $9,180 of transfers out to the Local Streets Fund and $49,748 of transfers out to the Capital Projects Fund.
At the end of the current fiscal year, the city had total general obligation bond debt outstanding of $1,003,000. The city’s total bonded debt decreased by $209,000 during the current fiscal year, as a result of annual debt payments made.
Clarkston City Council voted 6-0, Dec. 9, to accept and file the audit.