For the second straight year an outside auditor has given the city of Hinesville a clean bill of financial health.
The city government had what auditors call a “clean opinion with no audit findings,” for the 2016 fiscal year ending Oct. 31, according to David Irwin with the firm of Mauldin and Jenkins, CPAs.
That’s the second consecutive year the city came away without a blemish on its audit, he said.
“This is what you want,” Irwin said Thursday as he presented the city’s 2016 comprehensive annual financial report to city council members. “This speaks volumes about the job done by your staff.”
The 36-page report provides a detailed look at the city’s finances and is available on the city’s website at www.cityofhinesville.org.
The report shows that in its general administration the city brought in about $18 million in revenue — the bulk of it taxes in one form or the other, including $7.9 million in property taxes — and spent slightly more than $17.6 million on everything from public safety ($9.8 million) to public works ($1.6) million.
In a separate fund, the city took in roughly $12 million in fees to operate its water, sewer, sanitation and storm water utilities.
Hinesville listed expenditures of more than $13 million to operate those services, but Irwin said more than $2.5 million of that was due to depreciation of facilities, so there was no operating loss.
He praised the work of financial director Kim Ryon and her staff.
In other business Thursday:
Council approved a budget amendment to move $374,000 in SPLOST funds to the general fund. The money will cover $229,000 in debt service on bonds issued in 2009 for the new city hall, $95,000 for public safety vehicles and $50,000 for road improvements. The city put the items in the budget before voters approved the new special location option sales tax in November.
That SPLOST includes $1 million for public safety vehicles.
Council also approved an amendment to shift $154,000 in SPLOST funds to the police budget to cover the purchase and installation of a new generator.
Additionally, council members approved an amendment to spend $12,000 for tablets and software for their use.