Platte City is in good shape according to a recent audit done by the Kansas City CPA firm of Cudney, Ecord, McEnroe & Mullane.
During the board of aldermen meeting on March 27, Jim Shaw, representing the firm, stated the city was unmodified, the highest audit opinion given to local governments.
“This is like going to the doctor and always getting nervous sitting in the doctor chair wondering if you have a cavity or not,” Platte City mayor Frank Offutt said prior to Shaw’s delivering of the news.
The audit covered five major funds (general, parks and recreation, transportation sales tax, debt service and capital project) and four governmental funds (cemetery, equipment replacement, public improvement and industrial development).
Shaw noted there are two different books to keep for the city, one the governmental side and the other the business side taking into deprecation on things such as street and sidewalks. Business-type activities had a net position increase of $1,799,060 mainly due to the transfer from general fund and capital improvement fund for the construction of a sanitary sewer on the east side of Interstate 29. Governmental activities had a net decrease of $692,323 due to the transfer for the above sewer project.
CODY THORN/Citizen photo
Platte City mayor Frank Offutt, left, presents a framed photo to Jeremy Webb of Welch and Webb Law Firm during the Platte City Board of Aldermen meeting held on Tuesday, March 27.
Three other resolutions, besides accepting the city audit, were conducted in the 30-minute meeting.
A special event permit was issued to Tanner’s Bar and Grill for a patio music series that will run each Sunday from April to October. The special use permit is $410 and the motion was given a favorable recommendation by the public safety subcommittee.
A bid was awarded to Blue Nile Contracting for scheduled video and emergency system cleaning in the amount of $57,400. The city had previously had a contract with Reddi Services for the past 12 years, but when bids were submitted the business was no able to cur the bid defect. That left Blue Nile Contracting and Ace Pipe Cleaning, which bid $59,416.
The city also recognized Jeremy Webb of Welch and Webb, LLC., for their work in remodeling 500 Third Street. Webb was in attendance and was given The William M. Paxton Preservation Award, helping turn an old home constructed in 1880 into a modern day business.
“This presents about 25 percent of the buildings downtown now have been modified or enhanced through the city grant application to reinvest,” Offutt said. “We thank you for pushing forward and we look forward to the day it’s 100 percent on Main.”
Webb, a Weston native and West Platte native, spoke briefly with the board and those in attendance — which didn’t include the city’s other newspaper publication. He said there will still be more work done on the law office, which includes replacing the old porch and roof on the back of the property, as well as becoming ADA compliant.
“We enjoy being in the community, obviously, we invested in the building, the money to renovate it and we aren’t finished yet, we still have things we want to do,” Webb said.
The final action taken by the board was amending a fee schedule for use of the ball fields and practice fields. Originally passed in 2017, this amendment changes to a billing system that will be sent out the 10th of each month. The move is to help eliminate customer confusion and administration time to keep track whether fees were collected or not.