ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The Liberal City Commission will look to have an easy meeting this evening starting at 5:30. Tonight’s meeting will be in the commission chambers at the Liberal Recreation Center at 950 S. Grant Ave.
The commission will begin its new business by revisiting discussion of the 2024 Audit Contract.
“At the commission’s Oct. 8 meeting, Dustin Ormiston with Hay, Rice and Associates appeared before the Commission to give an overview of the 2023 Audit and financial statements. At that time, he presented the commission with an engagement letter for the 2024 Audit,” the agenda information noted. “The entire proposal is attached in order for the commission to review, and staff is recommending the commission approve the 2024 Audit Contract with Hay, Rice and Associates, Chartered.”
At the commission’s Oct. 8 meeting, Ormiston said the audit looked solid for the City of Liberal.
“At the end of that report, it shows we issued an unqualified opinion on that basis of accounting, and the unqualified basis or opinion is the highest level of assurance we – or another accounting firm – would give on the presentation of the financial statements, Ormiston noted at the Oct. 8 meeting. “That all means we believe the financial statements are presented fairly in all material respects. Included in the report is the main financial statement that is being reported now. That financial statement starts with the beginning unencumbered cash balance we had at the beginning of the year, and it shows the receipts for every applicable fund the City of Liberal has, the expenditures of each of those funds, and it comes up with an ending unencumbered cash. We add back the payables and encumbrances that have yet to be expended to come up with an ending cash balance, which again ties to the statement online that shows the cash of the City of Liberal. Also included in the report is the beginning unencumbered cash started at about $29.7 million, and that ended at $32.4 million, so we did have a slight increase in cash during the year whenever we aggregate all the funds together. This report shows our compliance with Kansas statutes on a cash basis and if you go near the end of the financial statements and past all the notes, you’ll see all the funds the City of Liberal has individually which are subject to a budget, and that shows our variances both positive and negative by line item on each of the revenue and expenditure items for each of those applicable funds.”
The commission will then be asked to approve Resolution No. 2422 authorizing the submission of the 2025 Kansas State Historical Society Grant application and authorization for the signing of the necessary documents before hearing a request from the Liberal Police Department regarding the purchase of portable Motorola radios.
“The Liberal Police Department is comprised of 42 full-time commissioned police officers and four part-time police officers. We currently have 38 portable radios to issue to our personnel. LPD utilizes the Motorola APX 6000 radio. This radio provides us with the ability to meet the Project 25 (P25) public communication standard which is mandated by the State of Kansas. This mandate is intended to ensure communication interoperability with other governmental agencies throughout the State. The Kansas Statewide Interoperable Communication System (KSICS) has multiple 800 MHz sites throughout the State to facilitate this communication. The Motorola APX 6000 is compatible with the state system. The State of Kansas has negotiated a contract with Motorola Solutions as the sole-source vendor for the radios. The radios are Project P25 compliant to ensure compatibility with the existing radios and dispatch system as well as interoperability with other agencies and the state-wide system. The cost per radio is $4,781.32 ($38,250.56 total). This price includes the encryption capability and 3-year service plan. We are requesting $38,250.56 for the purchase of eight portable radios.”
The commission will then discuss the search for Liberal’s next city manager before discussing the separation agreement with former city manager Rusty Varnado.
