Current City Council holds last meeting

Council members Tommy Overcash, Tim Holcombe, Ronica Ondocsin, Tim Cowles, Larry Vannoy and Steve Haraway stand together after their last meeting together.

Oct. 22 was the last City Council meeting before the new City Council and mayor take office on Nov. 5.

Mayor Paul Finley was out of town and could not make the meeting. Finley did not seek reelection after his four-year term.

District 6 Councilman Larry Vannoy is leaving after 12 years and being unseated by Gerald Clarck.

District 2 Councilman Steve Haraway, District 3 Councilman Jerry Jennings and District 4 Councilman Tim Cowles are all stepping down after eight years of service.

Haraway is leaving the council to join the Madison City Commission. “It’s been exciting. It’s been fun we’ve accomplished a lot,” said Haraway.

Cowles noted the council’s ability to work efficiently and not get bogged down by previous disagreements.

“One of my biggest disappointments has been the lack of civic involvement,” said Cowles. He commended the “few soles” in the public who routinely came forward during council meetings.

Like Finley, Jennings was also unable to attend the last council meeting.

Present council members voted unanimously to alter the fund balance policy in accordance with the Governmental Accounting Standards Board.

The new policy requires unassigned funds in the general fund to be 20 percent of expenditures, an increase from the previous 10 percent requirement.

The purpose of the policy on unassigned funds is to keep reserves sufficient for crises such as economic downturns and unexpected events, such as the April 2011 tornadoes that caused a spike in overtime costs.

The council also unanimously approved a new travel policy. Travel expenses were controlled by department heads, but now will follow the federal per diem rate, while still giving the department head some flexibility.