July 19,2006

 

 

 

TO:     Donna Stebbins, Mayor of Great Falls

            Bill Beecher, City Commissioner

            Sandy Hinz, City Commissioner

            Diane Jovick-Kuntz, City Commissioner

            John Rosenbaum, City Commissioner

           

 

Re: Remaining Questions of City Commission on approved Budget July1, 2006-July 30, 2007 and more Questions on the proposed coal plant

 

Dear Commissioners:

 

INTRODUCTION

 

At last nights Budget meeting Mayor Stebbins requested that I put the requests I have made at the last two City Commission meetings on the Budget in writing.

 

During that prior meeting City Manager Lawton said he did not move moneys between Budget funds without approval of the City Commission and that item 2.3 on page 34 (quoted below) of the Budget you approved last night did not give him authority to move moneys between funds without your vote. I said if it did and he did this then there was really no budget that the public had the right to comment on and that discussions about budget shortfalls in any fund may be because the manager moved money out of a fund without commission prior approval.

 

“Section 2.3 The City manager is hereby delegated the authority to make transfers or revisions with or among appropriations of any fund (emphasis added).”

 

When you approved the Budget last night you approved it with an amendment striking the word “among” from this section. Presumably this amendment was made to clarify that the City manager was not directed to move moneys between budget funds without Commission approval. However, after discussions with the budget officer I would also direct your attention to section 5.2 on page 35 which delegates the City Manager “authority to transfer part or all of any contingency appropriation and relating financing.” This would seem to also direct the City Manager to move contingency moneys between funds without prior commission approval.

 

 

SUMMARY OF QUESTIONS

 

Please answer the following question:

 

1. Did the city manager move budget items between funds without the prior approval of the City Commission “FY 2005 actual”? Yes or No?

 

2. If so, where is his authority to do so and provide me a list of all such instances in “FY 2005 actual” showing what fund moneys were taken from and what funds he transferred these moneys to.

 

3.     On page 101 (Electric utility fund) in column “FY 2005 Actual” on line titled “Transfers-In From Other Funds”, there is the number $395,717. In regards to that number answer the following questions:

 

a.     What fund did these moneys come from?

 

b.     What day were these moneys actually transferred from one fund to another?

 

c.     If the City Commission approved the transfer of these moneys from one fund to another, please provide me with the resolution approving it.

 

4.     In reference, Agenda # 16 attached dated November 3, 2004, given me by the budget officer, please note the following:

 

a.     There is no reference of moving moneys from another fund to pay for the “ capital contribution of $395,717.28 to SME G&T” approved by this motion and further there is no statement about what fund these moneys are to come from.

 

b.     This was a consent agenda item, which means that the public was not given opportunity to comment!

 

c.     This Agenda #16 states: “As a member of SME G&T the City is participating in a project to select a facility site, to construct a CFB ’clean coal’ technology electric generation facility in Montana.” And “The intent is to build a 250 MW electric generation plant using the most environmentally compliant coal fired electric generation facility technology currently available.”

 

5.     In reference, Agenda # 16 attached dated November 3, 2004, please answer the following:

 

a.     Is this the only City Commission resolution approving funding the coal plant? If there are others, please provide me with all of them?

 

b.     If IGCC is the most environmentally compliant coal fired electric generation facility technology currently available, will the city require SME to build only an IGCC?

 

c.     Will the City provide official comment to the DEIS on the Highwood station consistent with agenda item #16?

 

6.     At the last Electric Power Board meeting, City Manager Lawton provided the Board with a summary of the Highwood DEIS prepared by Coleen Balzarini. Please send me a copy of this document so that I can review it and make comments prior to the date the Highwood DEIS comments are due.

 

7.     Would the city please amend the budget to provide a sub account in the electric fund showing all expenditures related to coal plant development, so that the public can more easily determine the costs associated with coal plant development, including staff time and staff education and travel cost, etc.?

 

8.     Has the City commission approved the building of Coal fired electric generation plant known as the Highwood station as currently recommended by after public input? If so when? And what was the opportunity for input? If not do you plan to do so and when?

 

 

 

Respectfully yours,

 

 

 

 

Stuart Lewin

 

cc: Manager John Lawton, Ecke Great Falls Tribune, and GF Budget Officer