Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-09-22 FCAC IT Y C O UNC I L/F INANC I AL C O M M IS S IO N M E E T I NG City Hall Council Chambers November 9, 2022 AGE NDA 1.Call to Order - 6:00 p.m. The City Council requests that attendees turn off cell phones and pagers during the meeting. A copy of the full City C ounc il packet is available to the public . The packet ring binder is loc ated at the entrance of the council chambers. 2.Roll Call 3.P urchasing Policy Review a.Purchasing P olicy 2019 4.Audit Committee Recommendation a.Audit Committee S ummary 5.2023 Budget Discussion 6.Adjourn COU N C IL ITEM MEMOR ANDUM DAT E:11/9/2022 TO :Dr. R eggie Edwards , C ity Manager T HR O UG H:N/A F R O M: S UBJ EC T:P urchas ing P olic y 2019 Background: AT TAC HME N T S: Desc ription Upload Date Type P olic y 11/5/2022 Bac kup Material         City of Brooklyn Center  Minnesota      Purchasing Policy    Adopted: 5/1996  Updated: 7/2000, 8/2008,  4/25/2016, 12/2017, 8/2018, 4/2019, 10/2019                    City of Brooklyn Center Purchasing Policy TABLE OF CONTENTS  1. PURPOSE  2. POLICY  3. PROCEDURES    a. Authorization  b. Federal Grants  c. Invoices  d. Accepting Delivery  e. Payment of Bills  f. Municipal Contracting Law  g. Routine Transactions  h. Splitting of Contracts  i. Cooperative Purchasing Programs  j. Bonds  k. Capital Purchases  l. Emergency Purchases  m. Liquor Store  n. Expense Reimbursement  o. Budgetary Compliance  p. General Office Supplies  q. Technology Expenses  r. Central Garage  s. Billing Address  t. Conflicts of Interest  u. Sales Tax Exemptions  v. Use of City Funds to Purchase Food, Beverages and Related Supplies    4. PURCHASE ORDERS         APPENDIX A: AUTHORIZED EMPLOYEES     APPENDIX B: PETTY CASH PROCEDURES     APPENDIX C: CREDIT CARD POLICY        1. PURPOSE Assure that all purchases are made in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota, the City Charter, City ordinance, and other policies of the City of Brooklyn Center. The policy will provide uniform purchasing procedures within the City’s departments. Also to allow the City Manager adequate controls over purchasing functions which are well established and adhered to, and which also may be modified by the City Manager as needed for efficient operations within the organization. 2. POLICY Disbursements must be properly authorized, appropriately classified within the City’s chart of accounts, and accurately recorded in the financial system. 3. PROCEDURES a. Authorization Authorized employees for approving purchases are identified in Appendix A of this policy. Quick Reference – Authorization Thresholds < $1,000 May be approved by authorized purchaser $1,000 - $9,999 Department Head approval of invoice $10,000 - $24,999 Purchase order required with Department Head preapproval of purchases, 2 quotes required or purchased through a cooperative purchasing program, Department Head approval of invoice $25,000 - $174,999 Purchase order required with Department Head preapproval of purchase, 2 quotes required or purchased through a cooperative purchasing program, Department Head & City Manager approval of invoice > $175,000 Formal bidding process Purchases less than $1,000 Authorization: Invoices of $1,000 or less may be approved by any of the authorized employees as identified in Appendix A of this policy. Purchases between $1,000 and $9,999 Authorization: Invoices must be approved by the Department Head. If the amount of the purchase is estimated to be $10,000 or less, quotations are not required. However, if the purchase is made upon quotation, it will be based on at least two quotations which will be kept on file for a period of at least one year after their receipt. Purchases from a cooperative purchasing program do not require quotations. Purchases between $10,000 and $24,999 Authorization: Purchase orders are required for all purchases in excess of $10,000 prior to the placement of any order for goods, services, training, repairs, service calls, etc. It is acceptable to use an estimate of the cost of goods and services when filling out a purchase order. All purchases greater than $10,000 must be preapproved by the Department Head. Invoices in excess of $10,000 must be approved by the Department Head.     Purchases between $10,000 and $24,999 may be made either upon sealed bids or by direct negotiation, by obtaining two or more quotations for the purchase when possible, unless it can be shown that the product or service is only available from one source, or purchased through a cooperative purchasing program. All quotations should be submitted to Finance with the purchase order, or when applicable retained by the department, and will be kept on file for a period of at least one year after receipt thereof. Purchases between $25,000 and $174,999 Authorization: Purchase orders are required for all purchases in excess of $25,000 prior to the placement of any order for goods, services, training, repairs, service call, etc. It is acceptable to use an estimate of the cost of goods and services when filling out a purchase order. All purchases greater than $25,000 must be preapproved by the Department Head and City Manager. Invoices in excess of $25,000 must be approved by the Department Head and City Manager. Purchases between $25,000 and $174,999 may be made either upon sealed bids or by direct negotiation, by obtaining two or more quotations for the purchase or sale when possible, unless it can be shown that the product or service is only available from one source, or purchased through a cooperative purchasing program. All quotations should be submitted to Finance with the purchase order, or when applicable retained by the department, and will be kept on file for a period of at least one year after receipt thereof. Contracts or purchases over $175,000 Authorization: Formal bidding process is required. Invoices over $175,000 must be approved by the Department Head and City Manager prior to payment. All purchases covered by the Uniform Municipal Contracting Law, over $175,000 require preparation of formal bids and specifications. Bids must be advertised in the City’s legal newspaper at least 10 days in advance of the last day for the submission for the bids. Advertising for bids must be coordinated with the City Clerk. The contract is awarded by Council resolution upon recommendation by City Manager. With limited exceptions, all contracts for the purchase of supplies, materials or equipment must be rewarded to the lowest responsible bidder. b. Federal Grants Under the Uniform Grant Guidance competitive quotations will be required for all federally funded purchases over $10,000. If competitive quotations do not occur, the purchaser must documents one of the following exceptions; the item is available only from a single source, an emergency will not allow a delay from competitive solicitation, or the federal awarding agency authorizes noncompetitive proposals in writing. The City will follow the requirements for allowable costs/cost principles that are contained in the A-102, OMB A-133 (2 CFR section 200.302(b)(7). The City will follow the requirements for cash management that are contained in the A-102, OMB Circular A-133 (2 CFR section 200.302(b)(6).     c. Invoices Finance will forward original or electronic copy of original invoices received to the Department Head or authorized staff member for approval of final payment. Original invoice or electronic copy of original invoice with approval must be returned to the Finance Department. Departments will be responsible for the proper account coding and a short description of the invoice. d. Accepting Delivery Before accepting delivery, the department receiving the goods or services must determine that the purchase received reflects the order, that they are in a good, usable condition and that the correct quantity is present. If a receiving slip is included, it must be reviewed for these factors before it is signed. e. Payment of Bills Payment of all bills will be on a schedule and procedure established by the Finance Director. Currently invoices are required to be delivered to the Finance Department on Friday afternoon for processing with the payments made the following Thursday. Invoices must be processed and submitted to Finance in order to be paid within 35 days of the invoice date, in compliance with State Statutes, unless the invoice is in dispute. Departments should notify the Finance Department of any invoices in dispute and the dispute should be documented on the invoice or accompanying the invoice (this can be done through a notes field attached to an electronic copy of the invoice). Payments, prior to department approval, may be authorized by the Finance Director on a case by case basis, if it is determined to be advantageous to receive early payment discounts or to avoid late penalties. f. Municipal Contracting Law The City should follow Minnesota State Statute 471.345 Uniform Municipal Contracting Law when entering into any agreement for the sale or purchase of supplies, materials, equipment or the rental thereof, or the construction, alteration, repair or maintenance of real or personal property. For construction projects that are competitively bid, responsible contractor laws must be followed which require contractors to meet certain minimum criteria to be eligible to be awarded a construction contract. g. Routine Transactions Routine transactions, as defined by the Finance Director, such as utility bills and insurance payments will be processed and approved by the finance department. h. Splitting of Contracts Authorization and bidding requirements cannot, and shall not, be avoided by splitting a contract into several contracts, each of which is below the minimum amount requiring bids. For example, the City cannot purchase $250,000 of lumber in several transactions, each involving an expenditure of less than $175,000. If there are questions about whether a contract may be split into several contracts, the City Manager must be consulted. i. Cooperative Purchasing Programs A municipality may contract for the purchase of supplies, materials, or equipment without regard to the competitive bidding requirements of this section if the purchase is through a municipal     association’s purchasing alliance or cooperative created by a joint powers agreement that purchases items from more than one source on the basis of competitive bids or competitive quotations. The City of Brooklyn Center encourages participation with the State of Minnesota, Hennepin County or other governmental agencies in cooperative purchasing where the result of the purchase is in the best interest of the City. j. Bonds The City will follow state law for contractors bonds which are required for projects as stated in MN Statutes 574.26. The City Manager may require performance bonds for purchase of equipment, where there is an extended length of time between the order and completion and delivery of the equipment. k. Capital Purchases Capital equipment and improvements should be included in the annual budget. Purchases of capital equipment and improvements that were not included in the budget or additional funds are needed that exceed $1,000 require approval by the City Manager prior to the purchase. It is recommended that this is completed through a signed purchase order. l. Emergency Purchases In the event of an emergency, where there are extenuating conditions that need to be addressed immediately, the City Manager must be informed, and will make the determination on how to proceed. m. Liquor Store The City will routinely purchase merchandise for resale in our off-sale liquor operations. Inventory purchases must be approved by the Liquor Operations Manager. Inventory levels will be reviewed on a monthly basis, with inventory minimum and maximum goals defined by the Liquor Operations Manager in accordance with market best practices. A listing of approved vendors will be maintained by BC Liquor, the vendor list shall be approved by the Liquor Operations Manager and Finance Director. n. Expense Reimbursement Employee expense reimbursements, including mileage and meals, are to be reimbursed by submitting forms specific to those expenses to the Finance Department. o. Budgetary Compliance All departments, divisions and operations of the City of Brooklyn Center must follow purchasing procedures. Purchases must be made in accordance with the adopted budget. Charges or expenditures which may be in excess of your division’s appropriated budget must have prior approval by the City Manager. It is recommended that this is completed through a signed purchase order. p. General Office Supplies General office supplies will be coordinated by the Finance Department. Supplies should be ordered through the designated supply vendor, unless a lower priced vendor is available,     limitations will be made for each department. q. Technology Expenses Expenditures for Technology (computers, etc.), must be made in accordance with the City’s Information Technology Policy. Expenditures for technology not made by the Information Technology Department must be pre-approved by Information Technology Department. It is recommended that this is completed through a signed purchase order. Purchases and rentals of technology equipment for clients of the Earle Brown Heritage Center do not require prior approval from the Information Technology Department. r. Central Garage Expenditures for capital equipment (purchases, repairs & maintenance, etc.), that are not made by the Central Garage Department must be pre-approved by Central Garage Department. It is recommended that this is completed through a signed purchase order. s. Billing Address When the vendor ships the product, the vendor must invoice the City. You can inform the vendor that the shipping address is separate from the billing address so products are shipped to the proper location. The billing address for invoices is the City of Brooklyn Center attention Finance Department. Invoices may also be directly emailed to the Finance Department using the email address ap@ci.brooklyn-center.mn.us. Unless invoices are attached to products for delivery, all invoices must be directed to the Finance Department, not an individual office or person. t. Conflicts of Interest Employees are required to provide notice to the Finance Director of any conflicts of interest prior to entering into transactions on behalf of the City. No employee, officer, or agent must participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract supported by a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediately family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has financial or other interest in or a tangible personal benefit from a firm considered for a contract. The officers, employees, and agents of the City must neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to subcontracts. u. Sales Tax Exemptions Most City purchases are exempt from State sales tax. Vendors should be notified of this exemption when making a purchase and each vendor should be provided a Certificate of Exemption (ST3 Form). v. Use of City Funds to Purchase Food, Beverages and Related Supplies Circumstances exist when the use of City funds for these items in connection with the conducting of  official business of the City is justified.  It is recognized that clear guidelines need to be established  defining the types of purchases that are allowed.  Food and beverages purchased from City Funds (that  do not fall under the policy for personnel expense reimbursement related to travel) must be authorized  by a Department Head, purchases over $500 must be authorized by the City Manager or Deputy City  Manager in the City Manager’s absence.   All purchases should be supported with an itemized receipt and  sufficient description of the event.      The following situations will be considered for approval:  a. Coffee, refreshments, and modest snacks for meetings that are open to the public, for example,   Neighborhood Meetings, Association of Responsible Management (ARM), etc.  b. When staff are required to arrive before or stay beyond their regular working time to respond to  unusual or emergency events.  c. When training sessions continue through meal times and cannot be scheduled at an alternative time  d. City sponsored recognition or events  e. Support and promote grant programs, and which are paid for from grant funds  f. Any other expenditure for coffee, refreshments, or related supplies that the City Manager has issued  prior approval  The following will not be considered for approval and would be considered unauthorized purchases:  a. Any alcoholic beverage of any kind   b. Coffee, food, or refreshments purchased in the course of normal daily employee business  c. Coffee, food, or refreshments purchased for any departmental or division meetings  Public Purpose Expenditures  For an expenditure of public funds to qualify as a lawful expenditure a public purpose must exist.  Specific or  implied authority for the expenditures must arise out of a statute or from the city’s charter.  This chart sets forth  criteria to help determine the validity of a public expenditure, an expenditure that does not affirmatively meet all  the following questions may not represent a proper public expenditure:    4. Purchases of food, beverages, and related supplies that are not authorized by this policy must be reimbursed  to the City by the employee who made the purchase.PURCHASE ORDERS     Purchase orders may be used for any purchase, but are required for all purchases in excess of $10,000. It is recommended that purchase orders are used for any purchase which requires documented pre-approval. When used the following procedures are recommended: a. Information which must be completed on the purchase order is the date; company where goods will be purchased; program (five digit activity) number; account number (four digit); quantity; general description of purchase; and cost or estimated cost of purchase. All purchase orders must be completed and signed by authorized personnel in each department (please see Section 5 of this policy). b. The white copy of the purchase order goes to the vendor when necessary. Purchase orders are forwarded to the Finance Department. c. The Public Works Garage and EBHC divisions have the option of holding their purchase orders until invoices are received at their divisions. The Public Works Garage and EBHC will then attach purchase orders to the proper invoice, code and forward to Finance for bill payment. APPENDIX A: AUTHORIZED EMPLOYEES     The following is a list of positions that are authorized by the City Manager to purchase goods or services for the City within the requirements of the Purchasing Policy. Administration *City Manager *Assistant City Manager Information Technology Manager Human Resources Director City Clerk Human Resources Specialist Communications Coordinator Community Development *Community Development Director Deputy Director of Building & Community Standards Housing Community Standards Supervisor Administrative Assistant Planning & Zoning Specialist Business & Workforce Development Specialist Community Activities, Recreation & Services (CARS) *Community Activities, Recreation & Services Director Program Supervisor(s) Administrative Assistant Golf Course Superintendent Maintenance Supervisor Earle Brown Heritage Center Director Earle Brown Heritage Center Secretary/Billing Clerk Earle Brown Heritage Center Operations Director Earle Brown Heritage Center Sales Director Earle Brown Heritage Center Maintenance Fiscal & Support Services *Fiscal and Support Services Director Assistant Finance Director Accountant Account Technician II Utility Billing Technician Liquor Operation Manager Liquor Store Manager(s) Assistant Store Manager Liquor Store Office Assistant     Fire *Fire Chief Deputy Fire Chief Administrative Coordinator Police *Chief of Police Commander(s) Administrative Assistant Support Services Manager Public Works *Director of Public Works City Engineer Assistant City Engineer Project Engineer Engineering Technician Public Works Administrative Assistant Deputy Director of Public Works Supervisor of Streets and Parks Supervisor of Public Utilities Administrative Technician(s) *Denotes Department Head APPENDIX B: PETTY CASH PROCEDURES     The City has petty cash available for minor purchases made out of pocket by the employee. All departments, divisions, and operations of the City must follow the petty cash procedures. The maximum amount of petty cash one can be reimbursed is $30. The following are authorized to maintain a system of petty cash: City Clerk, EBHC Manager, Recreation Director, and Police Chief or Police Chief’s designee. Original receipts are required to obtain petty cash reimbursement. 1. Petty Cash Procedures - Employee Reimbursement For purchases over $30, employees must submit a voucher to the Finance Department for reimbursement. For purchases under $30, employees may be reimbursed using the petty cash procedures outlined below from the City Clerk or their department’s custodian of petty cash: a. An employee requesting petty cash reimbursement must submit the original receipt to the custodian of petty cash. Petty cash will be reimbursed to a maximum of $30.00. b. The petty cash receipt (provided by the custodian) must be completed including the description of the item, amount, date, account number, received by signature and approved by signature. The employee must provide the account number. c. The receipt of petty cash is stapled to the original receipt. d. The employee is reimbursed the requested amount. 2. Petty Cash Procedures – Petty Cash Account a. The custodian of the petty cash shall at all times have a record of the total cash entrusted to him/her. b. The cash on hand and the receipts accepted from employees shall at all times equal the total. c. Cash shall never be removed from the petty cash account for any reason other than to reimburse employees who have submitted complete and proper receipts. d. The custodian will periodically balance the cash account and submit the receipts to the Finance Department for reimbursement. All receipts for expenses and petty cash must be reconciled for December 31st. AUTHORIZED PETTY CASH ACCOUNTS AS OF January 1, 2018 City Clerk $200.00 Police Administration $130.00 Community Center $100.00 Earle Brown Heritage Center $200.00 APPENDIX C: CREDIT CARD USE POLICY     Adopted 09/19/2007 Revised 3/24/2014, 4/25/2016, 1,/1/2018, 10/2019 Authorized Account Holders The City will issue credit cards to the following positions: City Manager City Clerk City Manager’s Designee Chief of Police Public Works Director Community Activities, Recreation & Services Director Earle Brown Heritage Center Director Recreation Program Supervisor Finance Director Assistant City Manager Community Development Director Fire Chief Staff authorized by the City’s Purchasing Policy to purchase on behalf of the City may make charges to a City issued credit card by contacting one of the authorized account holders for account information. Staff that are not authorized account holders as identified in this policy, shall not retain credit card information or make purchases using a City issued credit card without prior approval from an authorized account holder. The Finance department will be responsible for establishing, updating, and closing all City issued credit card accounts. The credit limit on these accounts will be established individually, based on an appropriate level of need, not to exceed $5,000. The credit limit on these accounts will be in accordance with the City’s Purchasing policy. Upon termination of employment with the City, the City issued credit card will be returned to the Finance Department on or before the employee’s last day of employment. Use of City Issued Credit Cards Purchases using a City issued credit card authorized by this policy include those purchases that cannot readily be made through the City’s normal vendor payment process, as outlined in the City’s Purchasing Policy. These items include, but are not limited to: airline and hotel accommodations for authorized conferences and training, training and conference registrations, purchases made over the internet for items that cannot be purchased by other means or for cost savings, and purchases or rentals of equipment that     require immediate payment (i.e., delivering and retrieving election equipment from voting places). City issued credit cards are to be used for authorized City purchases only. No personal use of the City issued credit card is allowed. No single purchase shall be made on a City issued credit card that exceeds the credit limit available on that card. Documentation for Purchases The billing statement from the credit card issuer does not contain sufficient information to document a purchase made. Appropriate documentation is required for all purchases to verify compliance with this policy and the City’s Purchasing Policy. A copy of the invoice or receipt for payment must be included to verify the amount charged on the card. Receipts from vendors that only list the total charged are not considered sufficient documentation. The receipt must identify all products or services purchased, shipping charges, and sales tax. A printed confirmation of an internet purchase may be sufficient to comply with this requirement. If an invoice is not immediately available, the invoice must be forwarded to the Finance department when it becomes available and another form of documentation must accompany the original charge. *Note: Use tax will be added to any item that would be subject to sales tax if purchased in Minnesota. Card users should ensure that the proper tax rate is used when a vendor collects sales tax for Minnesota, 6.875%. For purchases that are exempt from sales tax, the City is required to provide the vendor with a completed Minnesota Certificate of Exemption (ST3 Form). The City is not required to pay local sales tax, such as the Hennepin County Stadium sales tax of 0.15% or the Minneapolis Stadium sales tax of 0.5%. (The zip code 55430 includes property in both Brooklyn Center and Minneapolis, so some vendors may incorrectly charge the Minneapolis sales tax.) However, the City is required to pay any special sales tax, such as a hospitality tax charged on hotel or dining within another City or County. The budget account to which the purchase should be charged must accompany all documentation included with each statement. Staff may contact the Finance Department with questions on the appropriate account codes. Any meals charged to a City issued credit card should include an explanation of those in attendance and the purpose of meeting held. In any instance where a product or service purchased with a City issued credit card is returned or canceled the transaction must be refunded to the credit card account. Review and Payment of City Issued Credit Card Statements All credit card statements will be reviewed by the Finance Department for compliance with this policy. Additional documentation may be requested from a card user to ensure compliance with this policy and the City’s Purchasing Policy. Payment of the outstanding balance of City issued credit cards will typically be made through the City’s     normal vendor payment process, however, the Finance Department reserves the right to pay the credit card bill outside the normal vendor payment process if necessary to avoid finance charges. Upon receiving the monthly credit card statement, account holders should match credit card charges with supporting documentation to ensure all charges have been accounted for. The documentation shall be forwarded to the Finance department within 5 business days from when the current statement is received, to ensure prompt payment and to avoid finance charges. The Finance Department will periodically review the use of the City issued credit cards to determine if accounts can be established with vendors where repetitive purchases are made. If an account has been established with a vendor, all purchases should be made through that process, unless extenuating circumstances exist. Unauthorized Purchases/Noncompliance with Policy Personal use of the City issued credit card is prohibited. Each card holder will be responsible for ensuring that purchases made with their card comply with this policy and the City’s Purchasing Policy. Purchases that do not comply with this policy, or that are not approved by the City Council, may become the personal responsibility of the card holder and/or purchaser. Not covered under this policy This policy does not restrict the use of personal credit cards for purchases/payments eligible for reimbursement from the City in accordance with the City’s Purchasing Policy. Additional Retail Credit Card Accounts In addition to the City credit card accounts the City has credit cards with the following vendors: Home Depot Sam’s Club A list of cardholders is maintained by the Finance Department for these accounts. After a purchase is made the receipt/purchase order should be approved, coded and sent to the Finance Department to reconcile with the monthly bill. COU N C IL ITEM MEMOR ANDUM DAT E:11/9/2022 TO :Dr. R eggie Edwards , C ity Manager T HR O UG H:N/A F R O M:Angela Holm, Director of F is cal & S upport S ervices S UBJ EC T:Audit C ommittee S ummary Background: T he C ity C ouncil C ode of P olicies S ection 2.80 is the polic y and procedure on R eques ts for P roposals for F inancial P rofes s ional S ervic es . T he current polic y requires that all professional services in the area of C ity finances be let out for a request for propos al ac cording to an es tablished sc hedule. T he establis hed s chedule for professional Auditing services authorized by R es olution No. 2017-97 is every six years, with an establis hed review of s ervic es due in 2020. Due to the C O VI D pandemic and staffing turnover, the review was not performed as sc heduled and the existing audit s ervic es c ontract was extended for one additional year. A new contrac t for c ontinued audit s ervic es now needs to be executed for the next F is cal Year beginning with 2022. R eques t for P roposals for audit s ervic es was submitted to ten local C PA firms . S taff received proposals from five of thes e firms. As further stated in S ection 2.80, audit service propos als are reviewed by a committee of C ity C ouncil Members and F inancial C ommis s ion Members appointed by the Mayor, in c onsultation with the C hair of the F inancial C ommis s ion, and approved by the C ity C ounc il. T he committee als o includes the C ity Manager and the F inanc e Direc tor. Bas ed on expres s ed interest, a c ommittee was establis hed of the following individuals: C ity Manager Dr R eggie Edwards , F inance Director Angela Holm, C ounc ilmember Lawrenc e-Anderson, C ommis s ioner Kragnes s , and C ommis s ioner Dwapu. An initial meeting of the c ommittee was held on O ctober 3rd to dis cus s the Audit R F P and the submis s ions received from five interes ted audit firms. C ommittee members were as ked to complete the evaluations for each firm and submit them to the F inance Director for tabulation. C ommittee members also dis cus s ed next steps inc luding interviews with the top two firms. Based on the rankings s ubmitted by C ommittee members, interviews were sc heduled on O ctober 18th with representatives from EideBailly and Abdo. Based on thes e interviews , the F inanc e Direc tor recommended entering into an audit engagement with the form of Abdo. T his was pres ented to C ounc il at the regular bus iness meeting on O c tober 24th. T he C ounc il subs equently recommended further disc ussion by the C ommittee and F inanc e C ommission.