Chestermere City Council is seeking clarification from municipal affairs on completing financial directives.
Based on the findings of the municipal inspection report, municipal affairs directed city council to provide account reconciliations monthly.
During the April 4 council meeting, city administration was directed by council to communicate with municipal affairs seeking clarification on dates, timelines, and data contents, to enable city staffers to meet the requirements of the ministerial order.
“The ministerial order indicates we will have our official administrator at council meetings, and the understanding of providing the minister financial information monthly,” Mayor Jeff Colvin said. “One question that’s been brought up is the timing.”
City Councillor Blaine Funk expressed concerns if administration can meet the time deadline.
“If we don’t have the reporting in place, it will be difficult for administration to meet those requirements,” Funk said. “We need to make sure we’re all on the same page for what we’re aiming for, and what the actual deliverables are.”
City Councillor Stephen Hanley added, “My concern is the order is very vague. It’s very unclear as to what that order indicates.”
Colvin explained that the city’s financial team is working on the CUI audit, the city’s 2022 audit, and finishing the city’s 2021 audit.
“Our focus is on completing the directives we’ve been presented,” Colvin said. “We should continue to speak with administration, find out how they can fit this into their schedule, and how they can accomplish it on a go-forward basis in conjunction with the city requirements.”
Colvin recommended city staff and the Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) reached out to municipal affairs for clarity on the timeline.
“I don’t think municipal affairs is trying to cause undue hardship, I think this needs to be flushed out soon, exactly how the city accomplishes this among the other tasks staff is doing,” Colvin said.
