The Stinesville Town Council adopted a resolution committing to new financial control requirements at its July 5 meeting. All council members and Stinesville Clerk-Treasurer Lois Pursell were present.
New rules established by the Indiana State Board of Accounts late last year require that more than one person in every local government statewide be responsible for financial functions such as payroll, accounts payable and receivable.
According to Pursell, the new rules were put in place “because of all the trouble in the past where trustees, clerk-treasurers, and whoever are stealing.”
“Everybody’s supposed to double-check everybody,” she said, summing up the law. “If you suspect something, you’re supposed to report it.”
Stinesville is in an uncommon position, however, as Pursell is the only person in her office. She told the council she will have to write procedures and submit them to SBOA for approval in order to comply with the standards.
“Before a town council meeting, I have to have the council look at the books, look at the bank reconciliations,” she said.
In addition, Pursell will be required to complete an online training through SBOA.
A resolution accepting the public safety income tax was also submitted for first reading, though Pursell said the wording may change as certain aspects of the way the town could use the funding are still unclear.
Township fire departments are not guaranteed any of the revenue generated by the tax, but many have put in requests.
Bean Blossom Township Fire Department’s request was for $42,642.33. The money would help fund two part-time positions working 30 hours a week with benefits, as well as radio equipment and new nozzles for its fire trucks.
A resolution allowing the Town of Stinesville to dispose of excess equipment, including a street sweeper attachment, TVs, VCRs, chairs, cork board and more was adopted unanimously. Most of the items listed in the resolution were donated to the Stinesville Police Department during a period spanning over a decade.
The council made a plan to take a snow plow in need of servicing to the county.
“There’s always been a bad habit of waiting until the last minute, and it would be nice to get that done before the first snow flies,” said Council President Kimberly Cunningham.
“There’s no hurry to get it done, so it’s going to be put on the bottom of the county’s list,” Pursell said.
A stormwater drainage project from Pogue’s Run to Jack’s Defeat Creek was put on hold, as the town did not receive any bids it could accept.
Pursell said the lowest bid for the work was $781,453.50, “which is over the amount of money allowed.”
It was also unclear if the county stormwater fund would be able to make up the cost above the grant money given to the town for the project.
The next meeting of the Stinesville Town Council will be held Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. in the McGlocklin Park shelter house.
Originally published in Ellettsville Journal, 2016. Republished here for archival and portfolio purposes.