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City Council Study Session —10/18/04 <br />DRAFT Minutes - Page 25 <br />apparently not being provided sufficiently or in a timely manner. <br />Mr. Kysylyczyn also addressed previous comments by <br />Councilmember Ihlan regarding whether enough information <br />was being provided by staff to allow the Council to make an <br />informed decision regarding the appropriateness of specific <br />expenditures. <br />Mr. Kysylyczyn opined that abuses were possible, and that the <br />Council was justified in requesting additional information to <br />allow them a comfort level in approving expenditures. <br />Councilmember Kough clarified that Finance Director Miller had <br />responded to his requests for additional information, but that the <br />response was not always immediate. <br />Councilmember Kough reiterated his concerns that, with the use <br />of purchase cards, Department Heads were not aware of what <br />was being purchased until after the fact; and opined that if <br />Department Heads authorized the purchases, costs would be <br />reduced. <br />In response to Mayor Klausing, City Attorney Squires addressed <br />the purchasing practices and staff and City's compliance with <br />those practices, which were in place prior to 2001 and since <br />1997, when a specific issue was apparently raised regarding <br />credit card use, creating the enactment of the 2001 statute. <br />Discussion ensued regarding purchases in excess of $5,000, <br />authorizations and staff procedures. <br />Councilmember Ihlan sought clarification regarding <br />authorization for consulting fees and the process for Council <br />approval of payments over time; and questioned what standing <br />policies and procedures were in place. <br />Finance Director Miller advised that most of the disbursement <br />procedures and policies were internal and according to general <br />accounting principal standards. <br />Councilmember Ihlan suggested that an annual or periodic <br />