The Tomball City Council received the annual audit during its regular meeting Mar. 4 and city officials said the results show the city is in sound financial shape. Every year the city is required to have an independent audit of its finances completed by an outside agency.
"The point of an audit is to provide an opinion on the financial statements of the city," said Sara Roberts, of the CPA firm Weaver and Tidwell, who performed the audit.
City finance director Glenn Windsor told city council members that property values increased nearly 18 percent during the last fiscal year – the largest increase in the past five years. Much of the increase is due to Tomball Regional Medical Center being purchased by a private company and becoming a taxable property for the first time.
Sales tax revenues also jumped nearly 18 percent. Officials and financial experts believe the increase in sales tax revenue will continue, as the area is rapidly growing each year.
The general fund balance showed a decrease of nearly $2 million; however that was due to a transfer of more than $2 million to the capital projects fund. Not taking that transfer into account, the general fund had an increased balance of more than $200,000, Roberts said.
Capital projects during the last fiscal year included the completion of Brown-Hufsmith Road, renovations to the main fire station on Quinn Road, as well as a land purchase for the planned Tomball Business Park.
In other business the council approved to waive fees and costs associated with the Lions Club Car Show, which will be held at the Depot Plaza April 21.
Tomball Police Chief Robert Hauck then addressed council about renewing the juvenile curfew ordinance, which must be renewed every three years. The council must hold two public hearings on the issue, before voting to retain it, amend it or drop it all together.
"My recommendation is that we continue the ordinance without change," he said.
The current curfew ordinance states that minors may not be in public during the hours of 12 a.m. until 6 a.m., with some notable exceptions like work, emergencies or running errands for their family. Hauck said that while there doesn't seem to be a big curfew issue within the city, having the ordinance serves as a deterrent.
"It's a reasonably written ordinance," he said.
The council will hold a second hearing on the ordinance during its Mar. 18 meeting.
