The Town of Camp Verde will review its most recent financial audit this week, covering the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
The audit was conducted by Colby and Powell, a Gilbert-based firm.
The audit reflects the increasing difficulty the town has had in keeping the budget balanced, including 22 staff positions that have been vacated since the town instituted a hiring freeze in 2007.
The financial review found just a few deficiencies in terms of internal control over money. The town is hoping badly needed new financial accounting software will help take care of some of these problems, according to the response from Town Manager Russ Martin.
These and other issues will be discussed at this week’s meeting.
The council will also consider turning over the official duties of promoting tourism to Camp Verde Chamber of Commerce Director Tracie Schimikowsky. It’s a job Schimikowsky has already embraced for a few years now, but the town still has an elected representative on the Northern Arizona Council of Governments tourism committee, the only municipality to have an elected official serve.
The rest of the committee is made up of full-time professionals who promote tourism for a living.
The town will also explore applying for state and federal funding to help pay for housing rehabilitation. According to the report filed as part of the Town Council’s meeting agenda, the effort would potentially help improve the look of the town and possibly stimulate economic development.
In other business, the council will:
- consider approving a liquor license for a New Year’s Eve ball at the Days Inn on State Route 260 near the I-17 interchange.
The Dec. 31 event is sponsored by the local American Legion Post No. 93 to help raise money for several charities, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the American Heart Association and the Verde Valley Special Olympics. The event is scheduled to run from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. - consider offering a “humble generic proposal” to the Yavapai-Apache Nation concerning how the tribal Nation distributes shared revenue from gaming operations. The tribal governments are required by law to share some of their casino money, but each town typically submits requests to individual tribal councils. In a letter the town will consider sending to the Yavapai-Apache Nation Council later this week, the council is asking for money to continue a Native American tutoring program through the local school system. If it turns out the money the Nation gives the town can’t be used for the purpose the tribal council would prefer, the town would like permission to redirect those funds to another nonprofit cause, like the Camp Verde Senior Center.
The council meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 15 in the Town Council chambers, 473 S. Main St., Room No. 106.
