The Poplarville Board of Aldermen heard a summary of the city’s 2014 financial audit report and accepted a bid for construction of the city’s splash pad during Tuesday’s meeting.
Ebby Dedeaux, with the CPA firm Alexander, Van Loon, PLLC of Wiggins, gave the board a summary of the audit.
The only problem the firm found is that the city’s water billing software is not integrated with the city’s accounts receivable module, Dedeaux said. She also advised the board that the system is due for an update.
However, the finding was not a significant discrepancy, just an area that could be improved upon, Dedeaux said.
“The city of Poplarville received our highest level of assurance which means we found no major or minor issues at all,” Dedeaux said. “This is very good for Poplarville, as the city has consistently received high reports.”
Dedeaux also reviewed the high points of the audit, beginning with the city’s governmental activities.
The city’s total unrestricted cash and investment balance as of September 30, 2014 was about $700,000, which is enough to cover about three to four months of the city’s expenses, Dedeaux said. The overall cash and investments was up about $25,000 for the entire year and no large changes in any assets for 2014 were noted, she said.
The city’s liabilities were up about $25,000 and the net assets were approximately $4.6 million, Dedeaux said.
There is $3.8 million invested in fixed assets and $831,000 is unrestricted Dedeaux said.
Next, Dedeaux discussed the business side, which is the water fund.
As of September 30, 2014, the cash balance in the water fund was $814,000, Dedeaux said, and the city has $145,876 due to them by the Pearl River County Utility Authority.
The city has $738,000 invested in capital assets, with $63,000 restricted to debt service and $801,000 unrestricted, Dedeaux said. The total net income from the water operations was about $52,000, she said.
In another matter, Jason Lamb of Walker Associates PLLC presented the board with bids for two projects, the splash pad at city park and the Beers Street drainage project.
There were three bids for the splash pad, of which the board awarded the contract to Great Southern Recreation, in the amount of $66,100.
Lamb said there is about $59,100 in grant funds for construction costs. However, there have and may continue to be in–kind donations for the project.
“When the contract is awarded tonight, we will hold a pre-construction meeting within the next seven days,” Lamb said. “Our goal is to have the splash pad operational for the Fourth of July.”
There was only one bid for the Beers Street project, Lamb said. On the recommendation of Lamb, the board did not award the bid because the bid came in 28 percent over the lowest bid, which was bid during the emergency process.

In other action:
–– The Board recognized Rev. Bobby McGill. About 20-years ago, the former Poplarville High School art teacher designed the city’s flag. Mayor Brad Necaise told McGill that his flag is seen by thousands at the annual Municipal League Conference. This was the first time McGill had seen the flag in physical form.
“It was a great honor and privilege to be commissioned to do such a task,” McGill said. “I would like to thank the board for allowing me to bring my work to the city.
The Board will meet again at 5 p.m. on April 21 in the board chambers at City Hall.