Quitman council seeking monthly reports from QDC

By Larry Tucker
editor@wood.cm
Posted 10/9/19

In a special meeting Oct. 1, the Quitman City Council approved the $258,205 Quitman Development Corporation budget on a 3-2 vote.

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Quitman council seeking monthly reports from QDC

Posted

In a special meeting Oct. 1, the Quitman City Council approved the $258,205 Quitman Development Corporation (QDC) budget on a 3-2 vote.

The budget approval was tabled at the Sept. 26 city council meeting in order to have a workshop before taking a vote over concerns with the overages in last year’s $230,205 budget.  

After the workshop and moving into a special meeting, Aldermen Susan Resnik, Brad Medlin and David Dobbs voted in favor while J.R. Evans and Jack Robinson voted against the budget.

The concern about the overages was discussed by QDC Executive Director Denea Hudman. “As y’all know we had a big year last year. We had parking lot expenses, we had sidewalk expenses, Bass Masters and Honey Hole advertising. Bass Masters and Honey Hole were $16,000,” Hudman said.  

Evans had concerns if all the overages had been brought to the board. “Did everybody get to comment on these things?” Evans queried. “Sometimes on the city council there are overages, but the council has to approve it and I was wondering if that’s what we are doing here. I don’t remember the council being privy to some of these costs. Hopefully the board was all in on this. No where have we been given how you are going to clarify this budget.”

Evans continued, “I would like to see, before we give approval, for the next year’s budget I would like to see if there are changes in leadership, changes in procedures and direction in how to manage this budget so the council sitting next year doesn’t have a $55,000 deficit in the budget. This is an agency that is supposed to be fostering businesses. How does that look? We are going to help you with your business, but we run a deficit budget.”

Mayor Randy Dunn addressed the overages. “Your point is well taken. A lot of the overages came from the unexpected, like the bass tournament. We need to have better communication more promptly and efficiently to where we all know what is happening,” Dunn said.

The board make-up was also discussed. Reappointed were Kevan Burroughs, Randy Dunn, Glenn Hanner and Martha Scroggins who along with Steve Strazniki, Dr. Randy Bennett and David Dobbs make up the current board. Evans thought it would be a good idea to add Alderman Brad Medlin and assistant city secretary Cheryl Laudenslager. Medlin said he had a business to run and could not see being on the board because sometimes he had to be out of town working. 

The major change in the budget moved over $9,000 from business and expansion, making it $5,000, to downtown renovation which raised it from $20,902 to $30,752.

Council member Resnik suggested a report from QDC. “I would like to see a report from QDC with information that can be shared so that instead of waiting six or seven months to find out what’s going on, we hear every month,” Resnik said. 

The council decided they wanted a report ahead of city council meetings so they could go over it if there was need for any discussion or action.