Gonzales EDC, City Council votes to adopt investment policy

At Special Called Meetings held on Sept. 21, the Gonzales Economic Development Corporation and Gonzales City Council both voted to adopt an investment policy for 2020-2021 which would guide the city in investing public funds in a manner that would “meet the daily cash flow demands of the City of Gonzales.” This policy is the same for both the GEDC and City of Gonzales.

While the investment policy adoption was the only item on the GEDC agenda, the City Council also adopted a financial plan for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

This financial plan has been updated from the original version, which was presented at the meeting, however, at its core the plan is described as being focused on guiding the city’s “day-to-day financial affairs and in developing recommendations to the City Manager and City Council.

In the plan’s statement of purpose, it is indicated that areas such as accounting, auditing, financial reporting, internal controls, operating and capital budgeting, revenue management, cash and investment management, expenditure control, debt management and planning concepts are the focus of content covered within.

A major change included in this plan, is an update which would require the rollover of budget items exceeding $25,000 from a previous year’s budget into a new year’s budget to have the approval of the City Council before being rolled. If there is a need to analyze any revenue shortfalls, it shall be done in a timely manner. Specifically, this would be to avoid waiting until the next budget session to “find out” that a project is being rolled into the next fiscal year.

In other business:

• The City Council approved the use of the downtown square for a church service to be held by the First United Methodist Church on Oct. 4, 2020, as well as the authorization for GISD to use the Gonzales City Park/Lions Park and closure of Lions Park and Fair Streets for the use of a Cross Country meet. These items were part of the Council’s consent agenda.
• Improvement and updates to be made to the Airport Improvement Plan for Roger M. Dreyer Memorial Airport was approved by the Council, and the City Manager received approval to solicit requests for proposals for the J.B. Wells Park Concession Stand, also as part of the consent agenda.
• Budget amendments for covered parking, a UTV and new radio equipment was approved by the council for the Gonzales Police Department.
• An ordinance which allows the City Manager to execute a real property contract with Benny Boyd Gonzales RE, LLC for a section of unopened city street abutting, or next to, his current property was also adopted by the council.
• In closed session, the council discussed legal matters regarding:
  • In Re Estate of J.B. Wells litigation
  • Patricia Bennett and Gloria Knight v. City of Gonzales, Texas Cause No. 27,500
  • A Guerra Enterprise LLC D/B/A Holiday Inn Express & Suites Cause No. 25,591
  • Deliberation of the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property if deliberation in an open meeting would have a detrimental effect on the position of the governmental body in negotiations with a third person: Unopened City Street - Benny Boyd Gonzales RE, LLC