During the discussion of Cuba’s fiscal year 2024 audit results at the May 19 Board of Aldermen meeting, Comptroller Jennifer Basham said that the city’s total net position decreased by $889,415, with $218,605 due to a decrease from the city’s governmental activities and $670,810 from the city’s business activities.

“Again, we didn’t increase our net position,” Basham said. “We decreased by almost a million dollars.”

Total revenue has decreased by $3,112,195 — there was a $1,970,674 decrease in governmental activity revenue, mostly due to the capital grant funding from a federal airport grant. The airport received the grant in fiscal year 2023, but not in 2024.

“Transfers from business-type activities to governmental activities increased by $901,208. Total expenses increased by $926,956,” Basham said. “This statement here alone says we are overspending.”

The fiscal year 2024 audit was approved with a 5-0 vote.

The board is again confronting police personnel issues. With the acceptance of Officer Jay Howard’s resignation with a 5-0 vote, Police Chief Doug Shelton asked the board to advertise to fill the position.

Basham said that the city doesn’t have the money for it, and the police department has an estimated revenue of $50,200 with approximately $1.6 million in expenses.

“Adding a new officer increases our annual budget by about $74,000,” Basham said.

She is asking for the position not to be filled because the city keeps spending money. The next steps are hiring freezes, spending freezes and layoffs.

Shelton says that the police department is working at a bare minimum, and officers are working by themselves.

A motion to go out for advertising to hire a new officer was approved with a 5-0 vote.

Street Supervisor Allen Monda reported that there was a problem with the bridge on northeast Main Street. 

There is some erosion under the bridge, and all the short-term fixes aren’t working anymore.

“Matter of fact, we got half the road blocked off now,” Monda said. “My recommendation would be to vacate it temporarily, and I mean like a year, two years, whatever it takes to get the funds to replace it and go from there.”

He said the culvert was installed less than 30 years ago, and wants to look into building a more permanent solution.

Guffey advised that the board wait until after the public is notified of the road closure before making a motion, so it has been added to the June 2 agenda.