Report: Safer than comparable communities
FARMINGTON — The Farmington City Council heard reports on two types of numbers — crime statistics and audit reports — at Monday’s meeting.
Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker gave his yearly crime statistics report for the council.
In 2013, the department responded to 17,502 calls for service — a 10 percent increase in calls for service from 2012 and a 38 percent increase in calls for service during the past 10 years.
Out of those calls, 3,583 incident reports were generated. That amount is equal to approximately 10 per day.
The department also had 1,312 arrests in 2013, or statistically approximately 3.5 a day.
The Feb. 27 edition of the Farmington Press will have a breakdown of the crime statistic numbers provided by Baker.
Mayor Mit Landrum commended the police chief and his department for the statistics which show Farmington has a lower crime rate and a higher rate of solving the crimes which do occur than the national average for municipalities of similar size.
“I think that’s a great comfort to everybody in town. It’s a credit to your department,” Landrum said.
The council also heard the fiscal year 2013 audit report from Sherri Stroup of the accounting firm Thurman, Shinn and Company.
Stroup congratulated the council on a clean audit report for the city, stating the municipality has a good asset to liability ratio.
She commended Finance Director Michelle Daniel for her work with the firm during the audit.
The one finding in the report was in regard to funds received from municipal court costs. Stroup said Daniel has identified a software integration issue and it is merely an internal control issue — not a loss of funds.
City Administrator Greg Beavers expressed that he was pleased to hear the good audit report for the city.
He said the city has been able to maintain its services despite no growth in the general fund over the past six years.
“The city has continued to provide services at a very high level,” Beavers said, referring to the crime statistics report given by Baker as an example.
“Michelle (Daniel) and the finance department does an incredible job of maintaining our finances. Our fire department is strong. We’re doing street work, water work, sewer work — all those things we’re supposed to be doing and still maintaining very healthy fund balances and good debt to equity ratios for the city,” he said.
In legislative action, the council approved a resolution to select First Bankers Banc of St. Louis as the underwriter for Certificates of Participation.
Beavers explained the certificates are the financing instrument used for the construction of the new library, police department renovations and the additions to the Farmington Water Park — first phase projects for the city made possible by the voter’s approval of the one-half cent tax extension last November.
Joy Howard of WM Financial Strategies explained the city received nine proposals for the lease purchase agreement and recommended the city go with the proposal from First Bankers Banc at 2.49 percent interest on an $8.6 million issue of bonds for a 10-year term.
Howard said the city received a Moody’s bond issuer rating of A-1.
Beavers explained the actual issue rating is an A-2 since it is lease purchase arrangements. In addition to the resolution, the council had a first reading on an ordinance to enter into the lease purchase transaction for the Certificates of Participation.
Two public hearings were held prior to the start of regular business. The first was in regard to the annexation and replatting of property owned by Mineral Area Regional Medical Center into one large tract.
The other public hearing dealt with the designation of 9 North Jefferson St. and 29 North Jefferson St. as a “Farmington Historic Property.” The property houses Bauhaus Kaffee.
First readings on both of these ordinances was held during regular session. The council also held a second reading regarding the tract of land which once held the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church.
Ward I Councilman John Robinson and Ward II Councilwoman Lynn Crites were absent from the meeting.
The council will next meet on March 13 in regular session.
“The city has continued to provide services at a very high level.” – City Administrator Greg Beavers, on city finances despite slow growth in recent years
Farmington Police Chief Rick Baker gives the 2013 Crime Statistics report during Monday’s Farmington City Council meeting. Baker’s report showed Farmington crime numbers lower than the national average for municipalities of the same size.
Farmington City Council Ward IV Councilman Garrett Boatright, left, Ward III Councilman Dennis Smith and Ward II Councilman David Holman listen to the fiscal year 2013 audit report during Monday’s city council meeting. Sherri Stroup of Thurman, Shinn and Company presented a favorable report for the city.
Shawnna Robinson is the managing editor for the Farmington Press and a reporter for the Daily Journal. She can be reached by calling 573-756-8927 or srobinson@dailyjournalonline.com
