City staff to provide more detail on expense reports

By Cassie Tomlin

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008 | midnight

Reports on expenses paid for by the city will be more detailed after the Aug. 26 City Council meeting.

Councilman Travis Chandler noted that in the 49 pages of the July 2008 Claims Paid List, departments listed more than $1 million total as "small purchases," including no other detail. Other items on the list state what exactly the city bought and for how much.

Some of the month's bills listed as small purchases included one from the city attorney's office for $3,333, one from the electric department for $87,830, one from public works for $19,640 and one from the police department to the Henderson Police Department for $13,650.

The city's largest small purchase in June, as noted by Chandler, was $389,918 under "special events" to Leavitt Insurance Agency.

City Manager Vicki Mayes said city staff will be trained in how to enter their expenses, as some simply weren't using a new purchasing and inventory software correctly. There is no monetary limit that defines a small purchase, she said. The purchases are approved by department heads, the finance director and the City Council.

She said another part of the problem was a software glitch, which will be fixed.

She said she agreed with Chandler that purchases should be more accurately described so that citizens can know where the city is spending money.

Chandler said it was simply a matter of providing information.

"Not to say they're not valid expenses. It's just that we need to know what they are," Chandler said. "A small purchase could be anything from a contract with an insurance company to a 15 cent washer at the hardware store.

"Hopefully this can be cleared up so that the taxpayers can know exactly what we're talking about when there's a million dollars in small purchases in a month."