I sent the below email to council.
I told you the city underreported the Fiscal Year 2015 golf cart registration income by over $12,000 at the Feb 16, 2023, council meeting. Here is another example of my research.
FY 2022 also had under-reported golf cart registration income by at least $58,374; and likely a lot more because it appears the proper accounting procedures weren’t followed.
The FY 2022 budget estimated the golf cart registration income would be $331,500. Had the city followed the proper accounting procedures, the budget estimate would have included the reportable deferred golf cart registration income from FY 2020 and FY 2021. That would have added another $190,320 of reportable income to the budget estimate for a total of $521,820.
FY 2022 was a year that required only non-residents to renew their golf cart registrations. It also was the final year of the residents’ three-year registration period.
The city provided me information that 1,307 non-resident and 1,758 resident golf carts were registered in FY 2022. The non-resident fee was $250 and the resident fee was $15. The revenue collected should have been $326,750 and $26,370 respectively for a total of $353,120.
Interestingly, the FY 2023 budget projected the FY 2022 golf cart registration income would be $354,000, which is close to what should have been collected, but significantly short of what should have been reported.
The city provided me information that the city collected a total of $294,746 for FY 2022, which is considerably less than what was projected. The collected income shortage is $58,374, and the reportable income shortage is $248,694.
It appears the city doesn’t have the internal controls in place to properly account and report golf cart registration income.
John Dufresne
Peachtree City, Ga.
John,does your hypothesis assume 100% renewal based on expiring carts? If so isn’t it likely that for a variety of reasons not all carts reregister? That may explain the lower reported $$ numbers?
Actually – the city already owns equipment to do this. I suspect it’s a matter of having the manpower to use it.
Thank you for doing this investigation.
I wish we could get attention to the wasted effort that happens when we for paths but fail to clear roots that destroy the work and increase costs.
A Ditch witch need to be run down the edges of the path before replacing the asphalt. This would save us hundreds of thousands of $$$.
That seems like a good idea to me. I have no idea how much savings are involved, but I think it may pay for the equipment, supplies and labor.
Damage the trees, but save the paths. Got it. Is slowing down not an option for folks when it gets a little bumpy?
Not to mention, any big trees near the path with a big root going under would be in trouble when the high winds come along.