Council president orders an outside audit and revenue forecast after the county's bond rating is downgraded
Who it touches:
Tracked in the archive
Citing the county's credit rating (a grade that helps set how much interest the county pays when it borrows money) being downgraded one notch, from AA- to A+ with a negative outlook — a change a financial advisor told the council was driven mainly by weaker financial reporting and unresolved state audit findings — Council President Steve Ellis used a procedural power under the council's own rules to hire an outside attorney to audit the county's finances and require the county auditor to deliver an 18-month revenue forecast by October 13.
He separately required the county commissioners to report, by November 3, on transportation and building-maintenance spending and plans covering the past and next 18 months.
A council member objected on the record to the president taking these actions without a council vote.
Sources
- "In light of the recent credit downgrade," 11:470:11:47 (11 minutes 47 seconds)
- Financial advisor explains the AA- to A+ downgrade0:45:13 (45 minutes 13 seconds)
- Outside audit and revenue forecast ordered0:12:19 (12 minutes 19 seconds)
- Commissioners' infrastructure report ordered0:12:49 (12 minutes 49 seconds)
- "Vehemently in opposition to the unilateral actions," 17:190:17:19 (17 minutes 19 seconds)
Outcome
Executed by the council president using existing council rules; no council vote taken
Executed unilaterally by the council president under existing council rules; no council vote was taken.
This summary was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by an editor against the recording and documents linked above. Nothing publishes without a resolvable source.