Council approves departmental credit cards, with spending limit

City Council
By: 
Kim Brooks
Express Editor

     During the Aug. 16 Monticello City Council meeting, the council approved the acquisition of credit cards for various city departments.

     Back in May 2017, the city council at the time already approved credit cards for the following departments: City Clerk, City Administrator, Police Chief, Ambulance Director, Library Director, and Parks and Recreation Department.

     Since that time, Jim Tjaden, Water/Wastewater superintendent, has requested the use of a departmental credit card. Tjaden informed the council that so many times with water and wastewater samples, he needs to send and pay for those to be processed through a lab via UPS.

     In addition, Britt Smith, police chief, also serves as Ambulance Administrator. So in this case, a separate card for the ambulance director is not needed.

     Each city employee/department head is on his/her own account.

     The credit limit on each card is $2,500. City Clerk Sally Hinrichsen said if the purchase(s) go above the spending authority, the card becomes frozen.

     “It’s imperative that we don’t have a frozen account for water samples,” urged Tjaden.

     Cards would only be used under the following conditions, unless otherwise approved by the council:

     • Purchases requiring immediate payment

     • Meal expenses when on city business

     • Employee training/travel accommodations

     • Online purchases requiring a credit card when no other payment option is available

     • Emergency vehicle maintenance

     With all purchases, receipts must be turned into the City Clerk’s Office. If receipts are not turned in, the city will not be responsible for the charges on the credit cards.

     “We have had absolutely zero issues with fraud charges and misuse of the cards,” reported City Administrator Russ Farnum. “We do have a protocol in place.”

In other city business:

   • The council approved eliminating the vendor/soliciting permit fee for anyone working with the Monticello Heritage and Cultural Center for their re-opening event on Sept. 19.

     The event is being held in conjunction with the Monti in Motion car show.

     • The council approved applying $500,000 the city is expected to receive from the American Rescue Plan Act toward the city’s new Wastewater Treatment Facility project.

     There are specific uses in which the city can spend the money, including investing in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. The city has until Dec. 31, 2024 to designate the funds, and until 2026 to spend the money.

     “This will be a nice offset from raising water and sewer rates pretty extensively,” commented Farnum. “It’s not all coming out of the rate-payer’ pocket.”

     • The council approved public utility and stormwater easements with Orbis Corporation and Energy Manufacturing.

     • Hinrichsen shared that the U.S. Census data has been distributed, and the City of Monticello’s population has increased by 244 since 2010, the last time the Census was taken. This brings the total population over the 3,000 mark to 4,040.

     • Library Director Michelle Turnis informed the council that the library has ordered the infrastructure for a permanent storywalk along Willow Trail. She’s hoping the project could be installed yet this fall.

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