REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
JANUARY 17, 2018
A meeting of the Finance Committee was held on Wednesday, January 17, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. in the
Aldermanic Chamber.
Mayor Jim Donchess, Chairman, presided.
Members of the Committee present: Alderman Michael B. O’Brien, Vice Chair
Alderwoman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
Alderman-at-Large Brandon Michael Laws
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman June M. Caron
Alderman Linda Harriott-Gathright
Also in Attendance: Dan Kooken, Purchasing Manager
John Griffin, CFO/Comptroller
Carrie Schena, Urban Programs Manager
Jon Ibarra, Superintendent of Streets
Mayor Donchess
Before we get to the election of the committee clerk, | thought | would take a moment to clarify what the duties
of the Finance Committee are because we have a number of people who have not served on the Finance
Committee before. The Finance Committee is created by City Charter. The Mayor is automatically the Chair.
We have a seven-member committee, and we have several functions. Number one, we approve the so-called
“record of expenditures” which is the list of checks that is issued by the city. That is put out on a bi-monthly
basis and comes to us. You can get it in advance of the meeting online. You can look at any check, ask any
questions that you want. Most of it is very, very routine. You will see hundreds of checks every warrant. Later
on in the meeting, we will approve the so-called “Record of Expenditures” or the “Warrant.”
Number two, any contracts that are proposed to be entered by the city in excess of $10,000, which has a
financial value of $10,000 or more, come to the Finance Committee for approval. The city does not enter those
contracts until approved by the Finance Committee, and this is by ordinance. If the contract is for $ 1 million or
more or if it is a multi-year contract, after being reviewed by the Finance Committee, if it is approved here, it
has to be approved by the full Board of Aldermen. It will appear on the regular agenda of the full Board of
Aldermen at the next scheduled meeting. Sometimes there are amendments to contracts. If they reach a
value of $10,000 more than the original contract, they come back. If the amendment is for less than $10,000
or just a language change or something else that does not include a financial amount then I, as the Mayor,
inform the committee by memo that the change was made so you can track if you wish any changes to a
contract that you have already approved.
Third, we occasionally get referrals of ordinances or resolutions from the full Board of Aldermen. The other
committees get most of that work, but we occasionally get a referral and we would handle that just as you
would in any other committee: We discuss it and make a recommendation and it would go back to the full
Board.
You will see that most if not all of the purchase contracts or the proposals for contracts are prepared by Dan
Kooken, who is the city purchasing manager. Sometimes, we have members of various departments come
forward to explain and answer any questions regarding the contracts. Either John Griffin, the CFO, or David
Fredette, City Treasurer, is here every time. Today we have Carrie Schena, who is the Urban Programs
Manager. She has one issue that she is going to discuss with us. We have Deputy, soon to be as of April 1,
Assistant Chief, George Walker, who is here on the fire department issue. Often we just have the people come
up in case you have questions so they can provide you with an explanation.
