Jefferson City officials plan to use $100,000 previously dedicated to the Columbia Regional Airport to help cover an increase in the cost of powering city street lights.
At the Finance Committee meeting Friday, Finance Director Bill Betts said staff planned to use the $100,000 allocated to the Columbia Regional Airport in 2014 to fund the increased costs. In 2013, the city and Cole County each agreed to invest $100,000 into a $3 million revenue guarantee fund for American Airlines.
Since the agreement, the fund has largely remained untapped and the 2014 funds were not used.
According to a memo from Public Works Director Matt Morasch, the city's street light budget for 2014 ran into two issues, causing it to need roughly $94,000 to cover increased expenses. First was an unanticipated rate increase from Ameren Missouri, which led the costs to increase by 18 percent.
The other issue was that one month of the 2013 fiscal year was paid for out of the 2014 budget, meaning 13 months of service was paid for when only 12 months was budgeted.
Betts said all issues were taken into account when drafting the 2015 budget.
In other business: The city's transit fund also failed to meet revenue projections for 2014. Betts said the state Medicaid revenues came in less than anticipated, but noted the transit's fund balance was able to cover the difference and it had no effect on the general fund.
Also, City Administrator Steve Crowell said staff would be issuing a request for proposals searching for a consultant to audit the city's utility bills. The audit would cover electric bills paid by the city, street light bills paid by the city, franchise fees paid to the city and telecom fees paid by the city.
Crowell said audit firms typically are paid a percentage of whatever savings are found. If no savings are found, he said the firm would not be paid, so there would be no direct cost to the city for requesting the audits.