Board of Aldermen 09-22-2020 Page 7
President Wilshire
If you want to respond to the Mayor's remarks you may, otherwise you can wait until we take it up.
Alderwoman Lu
| just wanted to respond to, | was a little bit confused. | understand this is a big job and it’s been slower, it’s
been more difficult because of the constraints we are under. But my understanding of an accrual system is
that we can predict our expenditures because we are accruing them as we go along and so for me that
explanation didn’t really explain to me why this has been somewhat short time frame to make this decision
on these items. | understand though that in the past it’s been more of a procedural thing where you knowit
is presented and itis done fairly quickly. But| just don’t understand the difficulty with accrual. If we were
cash accounting, | mean! am sure, | just thought that Director Griffin was comfortable — lm sorry my point
is that the accruals are done every year so | am not sure what took it so long this year. ’m sorry for talking
on and on.
Mayor Donchess
As | said it took only a few weeks longer this time than it has in previous years. So | think you
underestimate and John Griffin the CFO can address this or Kim Kleiner or the others that are involved.
But this is a $280 million dollar budget, a lot of independent departments they are making independent
orders, School Department, Police Department, Fire Department, Public Works. You know, as see from
the escrows there are hundreds of checks written every week and all of that has to be reconciled at the end
of the year. This is not like a little quick books thing or something like that. So | think you need to talk to
these people and understand the complexity of the job and the idea that this can just be done the day after
the year is over | think is a delusion. This takes a while, there’s a lot of work, there’s a lot of people
involved and yes, in prior years we have been able to produce, they have been able to produce it a few
weeks earlier. This time it took a little longer, this is the first time we’ve been through a COVID pandemic,
there was a lot of stuff going on. If we are stillin the pandemic, next year we will try to get it a few weeks
earlier as | said. And if you think it’s necessary to delay this, you can.
President Wilshire
Are you all set Alderman Lu?
Alderwoman Lu
Yes, | am.
President Wilshire
Thank you. Anyone else response to the remarks of the Mayor? Alderwoman Kelly? We can’t hear you
Alderwoman Kelly. No, can’t hear you. Ok anyone else have any response to the remarks of the Mayor.
Alderwoman Kelly, oh you're trying to connect to the audio, we'd like to have you present for the meeting
so we will give you a minute. Are you connected yet do you think? Now you’re on mute, unmute; can’t
hear you. Do you want to callin? OK. | can hear you now.
Alderwoman Kelly
But you'll be able to hear everybody.
President Wilshire
Are you all set Alderman Kelly? Alderman Lopez.
