by Greg Beaner, Mayor of Garretson
It has been a while since I’ve written a city update for the paper. In January of this year, the city’s long-time Finance Officer left for another job. The problem with finding a replacement for the Finance Officer position is the many requirements to be able to do the job well. Another difficulty is that no degree or school program can prepare you for the job.
The city council created an interview committee. After interviewing interested candidates, the interview committee chose Paetyn Dreckman. Paetyn is from Garretson and has a finance and small business background. Since she became Finance Officer she has been extremely busy. After starting, the city office was organized and restructured.
The city has implemented an invoice system where bills are paid weekly instead of monthly. This allows the city to make payments on time without the risk of late fees. All unnecessary credit cards and accounts were eliminated, allowing for easier tracking of receipts. The invoice system also makes it easier to keep track of receipts and stay organized to prevent misplaced receipts.
When Paetyn started, an audit was started for the years for 2020 and 2021. This is common when someone in control of finances quits and a new person starts. It is for the protection of both people, and it allows the incoming person to start with a fresh slate. Paetyn has gotten several updates on this process and the audit should be completed shortly. The audit did find some issues that were quickly resolved.
Paetyn’s other big project is the city budget. After attending Finance Officer School last month, she has been working on the budget. The old budget was out of date. The new budget format is easier to read, less complicated, and has made the city council’s job easier. This last week on Wednesday, the city council had a special meeting to go through the budget. It was reviewed line by line. The council was able to ask Paetyn questions, and Paetyn discussed areas where changes were made from previous years’ budgets. The council will hopefully finalize the 2023 budget at the August meeting. There will be one more special meeting about the budget on August 30 with a public hearing. The final budget approval will come at the September meeting.
Paetyn has done a great job in her new position. It has been good to have her new point of view and new ideas. Please reach out to your city council representative or myself if you have questions. I hope that everyone has a great rest of the summer and a great fall.
-Greg Beaner, Garretson Mayor
