The fiscal year of the city shall begin on the first day of
July and end on the last day of June unless otherwise provided by
ordinance. The fiscal year shall constitute the budget and accounting
year.
On or before the sixtieth (60th) day preceding the beginning
of the fiscal year, the manager shall submit to the council a proposed
budget for the ensuing fiscal year and an accompanying message.
The budget shall provide a complete financial plan of all city
funds and activities for the ensuing fiscal year and, except as required
by law or this charter, shall be in such form as the manager deems
desirable or the council may require.
a.
Submission to Council. The manager shall prepare
and submit to the council a five (5) year capital program at least
six (6) months prior to the start of the new fiscal year.
b.
Contents. The capital program shall include:
1.
A clear general summary of its contents;
2.
A list of all capital improvements that are proposed to be undertaken
during the five (5) fiscal years next ensuing, with appropriate supporting
information as to the necessity for such improvements;
3.
Cost estimates, method of financing, and recommended time schedules
for each such improvement; and
4.
The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining the facilities
to be constructed or acquired.
The above information may be revised and extended each year
with regard to capital improvements still pending or in process of
construction or acquisition.
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a.
Notice and Hearing. The council shall publish in
one (1) or more newspapers of general circulation in the city a general
summary of the budget and a notice stating:
1.
The times and places where copies of the message and complete budget
are available for inspection by the public to include both physical
and electronic access, and
2.
The time and place, not less than two (2) weeks after such publication,
for at least one (1) public hearing on the budget which shall be held
at least thirty (30) days prior to adoption of the budget.
b.
Amendment Before Adoption. After the public hearing,
the council may adopt the budget with or without amendment. In amending
the budget, it may add or increase programs or amounts and may delete
or decrease any programs or amounts, except expenditures required
by law or for debt service or for estimated cash deficit.
c.
Adoption. The council by ordinance shall adopt the
budget on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of the last month of
the fiscal year currently ending. If it fails to adopt the budget
by this date, the amounts appropriated for current operation for the
current fiscal year shall be deemed adopted for the ensuing fiscal
year on a month-to-month basis, with all items in it prorated accordingly,
until such time as the council adopts a budget for the ensuing fiscal
year. Adoption of the budget shall constitute appropriations of the
amounts specified therein as expenditures from the funds indicated.
a.
Notice and Hearing. The council shall publish in
one (1) or more newspapers of general circulation in the city a general
summary of the capital program and a notice stating:
1.
The times and places where complete copies of the capital program
are available for inspection by the public to include both physical
and electronic access, and
2.
The time and place, not less than two (2) weeks after such publication,
for at least one (1) public hearing on the capital program which shall
be held at least thirty (30) days prior to adoption of the capital
program.
b.
Adoption. The council by resolution shall adopt
the capital program with or without amendment after the public hearing
and on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of the last month of the
current fiscal year.
Copies of the budget and the capital program of all city entities
as adopted shall be public records and shall be made available to
the public at suitable places in the city to include city hall, the
library, and via electronic access such as a city managed website.
a.
Supplemental Appropriations. If during the fiscal
year the manager certifies that there are available for appropriation
revenues in excess of those estimated in the budget, the council by
ordinance may make supplemental appropriations for the year up to
the amount of such excess.
b.
Reduction of Appropriations. If at any time during
the fiscal year it appears probable to the manager that the revenues
available will be insufficient to meet the amount appropriated, he
shall report to the council without delay, indicating the estimated
amount of the deficit, any remedial action taken by him, and his recommendations
as to any other steps to be taken. The council then shall take such
further action as it deems necessary to prevent or minimize any deficit
and for that purpose it may by ordinance reduce one (1) or more appropriations.
c.
Transfer of Appropriations. At any time during the
fiscal year the manager may transfer part or all of any unencumbered
appropriation balance among programs within a department, office,
or agency and, upon written request by the manager, the council may
by ordinance transfer part or all of any unencumbered appropriation
balance from one department, office, or agency to another.
a.
Work Programs and Allotments. At such time as the manager shall specify, each department, office, or agency shall submit work programs for the ensuing fiscal year showing the requested allotments of its appropriation by periods within the year. The manager shall review and authorize such allotments with or without revision as early as possible in the fiscal year. He may revise such allotments during the year if he deems it desirable and shall revise them to accord with any supplemental, reduced, or transferred appropriations made pursuant to Section 6.8.
b.
Budgeting for Boards and Commissions. The budgets
for advisory boards and commissions operating on behalf of the city
of Sikeston shall be submitted by the city manager and approved or
modified by the city council in the same manner as any other part
of the budget of the City, except that:
1.
Because the budget procedure for these boards and commissions is
more cumbersome than that for other units within the city government,
the city manager may require earlier submission of budget requests
from these departments.
2.
Before the budget request is submitted to the city manager, it shall
be reviewed and approved or modified by the individual board or commission
having advisory authority.
3.
If the budget request for the board or commission is not submitted in a timely basis and thus it is not adopted with the rest of the city budget, the particular department shall not authorize any expenditure of any money until after the budget has been approved by the city council, Section 6.5(c) notwithstanding.
c.
Payments and Obligations Prohibited. No payment
shall be made or obligation incurred against any allotment or appropriation
except in accordance with appropriations duly made and unless the
manager or his designee first certifies that there is a sufficient
unencumbered balance in such allotment or appropriation and that sufficient
funds therefrom are or will be available to cover the claim or meet
the obligation when it becomes due and payable. Any authorization
of payment or incurring of obligation in violation of the provisions
of this charter shall be void and payment so made illegal; such action
may be cause for removal of any officer who knowingly authorized or
made such payment or incurred such obligation, and he also may be
liable to the city for any amount so paid. However, except where prohibited
by law, nothing in this charter shall be construed to prevent the
making or authorizing of payments or making of contracts for capital
improvements to be financed wholly or partly by the issuance of bonds
or to prevent the making of any contract or lease providing for payments
beyond the end of the fiscal year, provided that such action is made
or approved by ordinance.
After the budget is finally adopted, the council shall by ordinance
set the tax rates and levy on the various classes of property, and
the levy so established shall be certified by the city clerk to the
appropriate official, who shall compute the taxes and extend them
upon the tax rolls.
a.
Public Hearing Before Ad Valorem Tax Rates Set. After
the budget is finally adopted, the council shall by ordinance set
the ad valorem tax rate. Before adopting said ordinance, the city
council shall hold a public hearing on the proposed tax rates, at
which citizens shall have the opportunity to speak and be heard. Notice
of this hearing (stating the hour, date, and place of the hearing)
shall be published in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation
in the city at least seven (7) days prior to the date of the hearing.
Upon adoption of the tax rate ordinance, the city clerk shall certify
the rate to the appropriate official, who shall compute the taxes
and extend them upon the tax rolls.
b.
Election for Increased Taxes. In compliance with
the Missouri Hancock Amendment to the state constitution, the city
is hereby prohibited from levying any tax not currently authorized,
or from increasing the current levy of an existing tax, above the
levy authorized by law without the approval of a majority of the qualified
voters voting hereon.
a.
Definitions and Scope. The City treasurer shall
be responsible for all city funds except those funds designated by
ordinance to be the responsibility of an autonomous board. Each autonomous
board shall appoint a treasurer that will be the responsible city
official for those funds. The city treasurer and the treasurer of
an autonomous board, for the purposes of this section, will be referred
to collectively as the "treasurer". The city and its autonomous boards,
for the purpose of this section, will be referred to collectively
as the "city".
b.
Daily deposit of receipts. All moneys paid to the
city shall be deposited with a city depository on a daily basis. Until
the funds are deposited, the individual who received the money is
personally responsible for its safety. Under no circumstances shall
any money be forwarded to the treasurer.
c.
Treasurer to Supervise all Bank Accounts. All city
bank accounts shall be held in the name of the "City of Sikeston"
and shall be supervised by the treasurer. All deposit receipts, all
bank statements, and all other records regarding these accounts shall
be sent by the banking institution directly to the treasurer. The
treasurer shall reconcile all bank statements with the city's
accounting records on at least a monthly basis.
d.
Disbursements by Check only. Disbursements from
the city funds shall be by check or draft only, except as provided
herein. Electronic disbursement by check card or other device will
be acceptable, provided the device leaves an audit trail sufficient
to satisfy generally accepted governmental accounting standards. This
subsection does not forbid the city from using a check or draft to
obtain cash to keep on hand to give change to persons who pay the
city with cash, or for use in one (1) or more "petty cash funds" for
minor purchases of less than one hundred dollars ($100.00), provided
that these cash transactions are recorded in sufficient detail to
leave an audit trail sufficient to satisfy generally accepted governmental
accounting standards. Under no circumstances may the treasurer be
a signatory to any disbursement of city funds.
e.
Collateral pledge. All city depositories shall maintain
collateral pledges for the benefit of the city, under the supervision
of the treasurer, equal in amount to at least one hundred one percent
(101%) of the amount of city funds in excess of available FDIC insurance
held by that depository. For collateral to be acceptable, it must
be suitable for city ownership as an investment vehicle.
f.
Investments. It shall be the responsibility of the
treasurer to estimate how quickly funds will be needed for municipal
purposes, and to invest those funds in the interim. The treasurer
shall prepare a written investment policy within one hundred eighty
(180) days following the adoption of this Charter, which may be amended
from time to time. A copy of this policy shall be provided to the
city's auditor and to the city council upon adoption, amendment,
or once every five (5) years. The city may not invest in any instrument
or security that is not approved for investment by the Missouri State
Treasurer.
g.
Selection of depository. Within one hundred eighty
(180) days following the adoption of this Charter, and at least once
every five (5) years thereafter, the treasurer shall solicit proposals
for a depository agreement with suitable financial institutions. Thereafter,
by ordinance, the city council shall select and designate one (1)
or more financial institutions as city depository. At least one (1)
of the depositories must have an office physically located within
the corporate limits of the City of Sikeston.