Hartsville receives top marks on audit

By Samantha Lyles, Staff Writer, slyles@newsandpress.net

At its Feb. 12 regular meeting, Hartsville City Council received good news from its accounting firm, which delivered an “unmodified” opinion on the city’s 2018 audit.

“(This is) the highest level opinion that we can give on a set of financial statements,” said Shane Kirkley, CPA and partner with Sheheen, Hancock & Godwin.

Kirkley stated that total assets for the General Fund were $3.5 million, with liabilities just over $2 million, leaving a fund balance of $1.4 million. The Water/Sewer and Waterpark Fund had total assets of $35 million, with liabilities of $17.6 million. This leaves a net position of just over $17 million, with $15 million as net investment in capital assets and $2 million unrestricted.

Revenues from 2017 to 2018 increased by $523,000, mainly from the Waterpark Fund. Expenses increased $478,000, also related to the Waterpark Fund.

City manager Natalie Zeigler asked Kirkley for recommendations on where the city’s fund balance should be maintained. Kirkley replied that he recommends governments maintain an unassigned fund balance adequate to cover 3 to 4 months of regular operations. He said Hartsville’s current proprietary fund balance will cover 4.8 months of operations, but the general fund is only enough to cover 1.5 months, so increasing that balance is recommended.

Finance director Karen Caulder said the city is still feeling the effects of all the 2018 property purchases required for the Canal District project, as well as the one-time expense of opening the Neptune Island Waterpark.

On the regular agenda, Council approved first reading of Ordinance 4361, which will sell city-owned property at 120 West Washington St. to Darlington County Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat has leased the building from the city for years and wished to purchase it, so the city agreed to sell the building to the non-profit for $1.

Council approved first reading of Ordinance 4362, which will annex 1300 South Fourth Street (the offices of Welch and Bonds Orthodontics) into city limits.

Resolution 02-19-01, establishing a mutual aid agreement between the Hartsville Police Department and Chesterfield County Sheriff’s Office, received Council approval.

Council approved final reading of Ordinance 4358, leasing a portion of the alleyway at 120 South Fifth Street from the Trust Company of South Carolina. This $1 lease will allow continued use of the alleyway to access the parking lot and businesses located behind the bank.

Ordinance 4359 also received final approval, finalizing the sale of the vacant former armory building at 559 West Carolina Avenue to The Boykin Properties LLC for the price of $2. The sale agreement states that the city wishes to sell the property, which has fallen into a state of “disrepair” in the hopes that its development “will serve as a catalyst to further growth and development in the City as well as increased tourism, quality of life enhancement and community vitality.”

Council also presented a proclamation naming February as “Random Acts of Kindness” month, encouraging everyone to offer help, praise, or support to friends, neighbors, or strangers as a sort of grassroots goodwill campaign. Members of the People to People group accepted the proclamation from Mayor Mel Pennington.

Author: Stephan Drew

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