The fiscal year of the City shall begin with the first day of
April and end on the last day of the succeeding March unless otherwise
provided by City ordinance.
(a)
All requests for payment of City expenditures shall be approved by
the Chief Administrative Officer or an individual so designated by
the Chief Administrative Officer before any payment shall be made.
No expenditure shall be paid unless funds for such expenditure have
been appropriated by the Council.
(b)
All orders for the payment of City funds from City depositories shall
be executed by the Chief Administrative Officer, the Director of Finance,
the City Clerk and/or an individual so designated by the Chief Administrative
Officer. Facsimile signatures may be used in accordance with procedures
established by the Director of Finance and approved by the Chief Administrative
Officer.
(c)
No officer or employee of the City shall enter into any undertaking
on behalf of the City without specific approval from the City Council.
The City shall establish and maintain those funds required by
law and sound financial administration.
(a)
Payments. No payment shall be made from City funds until the City
employee so designated by ordinance certifies that there has been
an appropriation therefor and that sufficient funds remain of such
appropriation to cover such payment.
(b)
Obligations.
(1)
Current. No obligation to pay funds may be incurred by the City
except as required by the Charter or in accordance with procedures
established by the City Council. No other obligation of the City may
be undertaken unless approved by the City Council. No ordinance undertaking
any obligation to pay funds may be finally approved until the City
employee so designated by ordinance certifies that sufficient funds
have been appropriated or are appropriated by such ordinance to satisfy
such obligation.
(2)
Future. Obligations to pay funds beyond the end of the fiscal
year in which the obligation is incurred may be undertaken if:
a.
Such obligations are to be satisfied from revenues obtained
by the issuance of bonds.
b.
Such obligations constitute a lease or similar agreement which
by its terms provides for the termination of any obligation extending
beyond the current fiscal year if funds are not appropriated in the
following year and sufficient funds have been appropriated to satisfy
the City's obligation upon such termination.
c.
Such obligations are authorized by state law then in effect.
Before the appointment of any depository of City funds shall
become effective, the depository shall accept as a binding contract
between itself and the City all of the provisions of Chapter 95, RSMo.,
relating to depositories of City funds.
The Director of Finance shall credit all interest income received
in the various City funds.
(a)
Each three months the Chief Administrative Officer shall provide
a detailed itemized statement of receipts and expenses of the City
and a summary of its proceedings during the preceding three months
and furnish printed copies to the City library and post said report
online and make said report available on request in accordance with
Missouri law.
(b)
At the end of each year, the City Council shall cause a complete examination of all the books and accounts of the City to be made by an independent certified public accountant or firm of such accountants and shall publish the results of the examination in the manner prescribed in Subsection (a) for publication of statements of quarterly expenditures.
The Director of Finance, after receiving from the County Clerk
the certified abstract of the County Clerk assessment books of real
and personal property within the City, shall present to the City Council
the following information:
(1)
The assessed valuation by category of real, personal and other tangible
property within the City for the fiscal year for which the tax is
to be levied;
(2)
The assessed valuation by category of real, personal and other tangible
property within the City for the preceding taxable year; and
(3)
The amount of revenue required to be provided from the property tax
as set forth in the annual budget adopted by the City Council as provided
subsequently in this Code, and the tax rate proposed to be set.
The City shall be authorized to sell any bonds as may now or
hereafter be authorized by law. Bonds sold by the City may be sold
at private or public sale as authorized by law. In the event such
bonds are to be sold at public sale, the same shall be sold upon sealed
proposals after reasonable notice has been given as provided by ordinance
or otherwise by law. Any public sale shall be conducted according
to the terms and conditions provided by ordinance.
At least 60 days prior to the end of each fiscal year, the Chief
Administrative Officer shall submit to the Council a City budget and
an accompanying budget message.
(a)
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 the City Charter, shall be in such form as the Chief Administrative
Officer deems desirable or the Council may require by resolution or
ordinance. The budget shall indicate in separate sections:
(1)
Proposed expenditures for current operations during the ensuing
fiscal year and the method of financing such expenditures;
(2)
Proposed capital expenditures during the ensuing fiscal year
and the proposed method of financing each such capital expenditure;
and
(3)
Anticipated net surplus or deficit for the ensuing fiscal year
of each utility owned or operated by the City and the proposed method
of its disposition; subsidiary budgets for each such utility giving
detailed income and expenditure information shall be attached as appendixes
to the budget.
(b)
In no event shall the total proposed expenditures for any fund defined
by the City ordinance exceed the estimated revenues to be received
plus any unencumbered balance from the previous fiscal year or less
any deficit estimated for the beginning of the fiscal year.
The Council shall publish in one or more newspapers of general
circulation in the City a general summary of the budget and a notice
stating:
After the public hearing, the City 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, provided that no amendment to the budget shall increase
the authorized expenditure to an amount greater than the total of
estimated revenues and unencumbered balance from any previous fiscal
year.
The Council shall adopt the budget for the next fiscal year
on or before the last day of the fiscal year currently ending. If
the Council 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 for
expenditure from the funds indicated.
(a)
Submission to Council. The Chief Administrative Officer shall prepare
and submit to the City Council a capital program for a minimum of
three years at least four months prior to the final date for submission
of the budget.
(b)
Program requirements. The capital program shall include:
(1)
A clear general summary of its contents;
(2)
A list of all capital improvements which are proposed to be
undertaken with appropriate supporting information as to the necessity
for such improvements;
(3)
Cost estimates, method of financing and recommended time schedule
for each such improvement; and
(4)
The estimated annual cost of operating and maintaining facilities
to be constructed or acquired.
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The above information may be revised and extended each year
with regard to capital improvements pending or in progress.
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(a)
Notice and hearing. The City Council shall publish in one or more
newspapers of general circulation in the City a general summary of
the capital program and a notice stating:
(b)
Adoption. The City Council, by resolution, shall adopt the capital
program with or without amendment after the public hearing and on
or before the last day of the current fiscal year.
Copies of the budget and the capital program as adopted shall
be public records and shall be made available to the public at suitable
places in the City.
[Ord. No. 10131, § 1, 5-2-2013]
(a)
Supplemental appropriations. If during the fiscal year the Chief
Administrative Officer certifies that there are available for appropriation
current revenues in excess of those estimated in the budget, or an
unencumbered balance from the previous fiscal year in excess of the
amount estimated in the budget, or the requirement for additional
expenditures not anticipated in the budget, the Council, by ordinance,
may make supplemental appropriations for the year up to the amount
permitted by law and the City Charter.
(b)
Reduction of appropriations. If at any time during the fiscal year
it appears probable to the Chief Administrative Officer that the revenues
available will be insufficient to meet the amount appropriated, it
shall be reported to the Council without delay. The Chief Administrative
Officer shall indicate the estimated amount of the deficit, any remedial
action taken and recommendations as to any other steps to be taken.
The Council shall then take such further action as it deems necessary
to prevent or minimize any deficit and for that purpose it may, by
ordinance, reduce appropriations.
(c)
Transfer of appropriations:
[Ord. No. 10653, 3-5-2020]
(1)
Administrative transfer.
a.
The Chief Administrative Officer may authorize transfers of
any unencumbered appropriation balance from one account to another
within the same department, provided the departmental appropriations
in total within the department do not exceed the appropriated budget
with the exception of the general fund contingency account. The Chief
Administrative Officer may authorize transfers to department appropriations
within the general fund from the contingency account provided that
the total within the general fund do not exceed the appropriated budget.
In addition, no such administrative transfer shall be made between
funds of the City.
[Ord. No. 10758, 4-21-2022]
(2)
Legislative transfer.
a.
The City Council may, by ordinance, reduce or increase the appropriations
to any account during the fiscal year by transferring such appropriation
from one account to another between departments and/or funds; provided,
at no time shall the total appropriations exceed any limit imposed
by the City Charter or State law.
(d)
Emergency appropriations, effective date. The supplemental appropriations and reduction or transfer of appropriations authorized by this section may be made effective immediately upon adoption if made by emergency ordinance in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.9(f) of the City Charter.
The City Council shall, by ordinance, set the tax rate and levy
on the various classes of property as soon as practicable after passage
of the ordinance approving the budget, but no later than September
30 of each year or as otherwise provided by law. No ordinance setting
such tax rates and levy shall be so adopted until there has been a
public hearing on the proposed ordinance. Notice of such public hearing
shall be published as provided by ordinance.
The City Council shall hold at least one public hearing on the proposed rates of taxes at which citizens may be heard. Such hearing must be held prior to the adoption of a tax rate by the Council. The City Clerk shall cause a notice of such public hearing to be published in at least one newspaper qualified under the laws of the state, of general circulation in St. Louis County, which notice shall state the time, date and place of such hearing. Notice shall also be posted in at least three public places within the City. These notices shall be published and posted at least seven days prior to the date of the hearing. The notices provided for herein shall contain that information described in items (1), (2) and (3) in § 2-303.
Following the public hearing described in the preceding section,
the City Council shall establish the annual tax rate, which tax rate
shall be calculated to produce substantially the same revenues as
required in the budget adopted as provided herein.
After the annual tax rate has been established by the City Council,
the Director of Finance shall certify the levy to the county collector
for collection of taxes in accordance with state law.
(a)
Personal property. The Director of Finance is authorized to cancel
from the accounts as uncollectible all personal property taxes that
are not collected within five years of their assessment.
(b)
Real property. The Director of Finance is authorized to cancel from
the accounts as uncollectible all real estate taxes that are not collected
within 10 years of their assessment.
There is hereby created the position of Director of Finance.
The Chief Administrative Officer shall appoint a qualified person
as Director of Finance who shall hold office at the pleasure of the
Chief Administrative Officer.
The Director of Finance shall receive as full compensation for
his/her services a stated salary to be fixed by the City Council in
lieu of any and all other remuneration.
The Director of Finance shall be the general fiscal officer
of the City, subject to the supervision of the Chief Administrative
Officer, and, in such capacity, the Director shall:
(1)
Exercise general supervision over all the fiscal affairs of the City
and over all its property, assets and claims and the disposition thereof.
(2)
Collect all revenues derived from all sources which may be levied
by law, this Code or other City ordinance, and it shall be the director's
duty to use all lawful means to secure the prompt payment of the revenue.
(3)
Deposit daily all monies collected and belonging to the City in the
City depository.
(4)
Make out all licenses and issue the licenses to the person named
therein upon payment to him of the license fee thereon, and keep a
register of all licenses issued, which records shall state the number
and amount of each license, for what issued, and to whom delivered.
(5)
Be the general accountant and auditor of the City. The records in
the office of the Director of Finance shall show the financial operations,
the condition, property, assets, claims and liabilities of the City,
and all expenditures authorized.
(6)
Require proper fiscal accounts, records, settlements and reports
to be kept, made and rendered to the Director by the several departments
and offices of the City, so far as consistent with law, and control
and continually audit the accounts, records, settlements and reports,
and prescribe forms, rules and regulations therefor and require their
observance consistent with law, the provisions of this Code, or other
City ordinance.
(7)
The director shall prescribe and regulate the manner of paying creditors,
officers and employees of the City.
(8)
Audit all payrolls, accounts and claims against the City and certify
thereon the balance as stated.
[Ord. No. 7497, § 1, 3-13-1986[1]]
It shall be the duty of the Director of Finance:
(1)
To pay over all moneys, bonds or other obligations of the City on
warrants or orders duly drawn, passed or ordered by the Council or
Chief Administrative Officer and properly approved in accordance with
this Code.
(2)
To keep in proper books a full and accurate amount of all money received
and disbursed by the Director of Finance for the City, showing the
date of receipts and disbursements, from whom received and to whom
paid, and on what account received and disbursed.
(3)
To keep a separate account of and with each of the several funds
to which the revenues of the City are required to be appropriated,
charging the appropriations and crediting the amounts disbursed therefrom
so that the accounts will at all times show the condition of the various
funds.
[Ord. No. 9971, § 1, 12-16-2010]
