The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

 

Published April 29, 2015

CCAD switching to monthly budgets

By Dale Johnson
CAMDEN COUNTY – The Camden County Ambulance District will be going to a monthly budget beginning with the start of the fiscal year in July.

Mike Dorf, of Michael P. Dorf, CPA, PC, explained to the ambulance board last week how the monthly budget will work.

The district will still set the budget amount annually but it will be divided up on a monthly basis.

“In the past we’ve done an annual budget and the only times we do comparisons to where we really are is at the end of the year to see where we’ve ended up,” Dorf told the board. “What we’re going to do this year is we’re going to try and do the budget on a monthly basis and present that to you so you’ll have an idea as you go along where you’re expected to be and where you’re at.”

According to Dorf, this process will show the board if there is a need to do any adjustments in the finances, whether it’s cutting back on spending or they end up with some additional money that they may need for some equipment or other items.

“You’ll find that there are going to be some changes from year to year such as insurance, vehicle cost and so on that are going to start fluctuating,” said Dorf. “We want you to have an idea of where you’re going to be during your tenure here at the board so you do a better job at managing the district.”

The board members will get a spreadsheet each month which will show the financials and where the district sits for that month, where they’re expected to be and where they are for the year to date.

The new process will cost the district more in fees to Dorf, but that will be for more hours spent in preparing the new monthly budget system.

“It’s going to be more in the preparation of the budget, it’s not going to be so much in the month to month,” Dorf said. “We’re going to be spending a lot more time in the next two months than we did in the past but then again, I don’t think we’ve been billing you nearly as much as you’ve expected. We’re not going to be making it up in the next couple of months but we’re going to have more hours in this.”

Board member Rick Bryant thanked Dorf for being fair about his fees in the past and appreciated the help.

Dorf also stated that he will start the budget based on figures from last year but requested that all the board members give input on the new monthly budget system.

In other business at the April 21 meeting

• The board elected Rick Bryant as Vice Chairman, Joyce Ossler as Treasurer and Dee Dee Chasin as Secretary for the district.
• The board said goodbye to long-time chairman Joe Chasin. Chasin did not run for re-election in the recent election. Chasin received a proclamation from the district and a plaque from Mercy Ambulance. Board member Ralph Perry took over as chairman of the district.
• The board accepted APAC’s bid on the crack filling and seal coating of the district’s headquarters parking lot. Two bids were received; one from APAC at $4,313.35 and a second from Higgins Asphalt paving for $4,201. The board approved the bid from APAC because they have worked with them in the past and was unfamiliar with the second company.
• Paul Brother was sworn in as a newly elected board member. Brother won on a write-in vote and claimed to have won the position with only two votes: his and his wife’s.
• Mercy reported another record month with 245 calls which brings the total for the fiscal year to 2,190.

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