About the City Treasurer-Comptroller
The City Treasurer-Comptroller is the chief financial officer of the city. Appointed by the Mayor and City Council, the Treasurer works along with the City Administrator developing, enacting and overseeing the fiscal policies of the city. The principal responsibility of the City Comptroller is to maintain all the financial records of the city in an orderly fashion and to ensure that the fiscal integrity is maintained.
The City Treasurer-Comptroller and her staff of three full-time and two part-time employees are responsible for performing the following functions:
- Budget preparation and review
- General ledger accounting and payroll
- Property/liability/worker’s compensation insurance coverage
- Property tax collections/utility billings/records
- Accounts payable/receivables
- Debt Financing
- Pension Administration
- Collection/deposit/investment of all city funds
- Fixed asset inventory
The City Treasurer-Comptroller and staff, when fulfilling the above, are required to follow Federal and State Laws, the City Charter, the City Code and the various labor contracts. It is their obligation to fulfill various tasks accurately and on a timely basis. Given their diverse responsibilities, the public is requested to contact the appropriate city employee when they have a question regarding any matter involving the above functions.
During the course of the year, the City Treasurer-Comptroller will often place budget and tax information in the city’s quarterly newsletter, the Update, as well as on the City’s web site and cable channel. Residents are requested to read these items to keep informed of any recent developments or changes that may affect the tax or utility billings and collections.
One of the most important functions of the City Treasurer-Comptroller is to assist the City Administrator and the City’s Finance Committee in the preparation of the annual city budget. The adopted budget document details the revenue and expenditure estimates of the city for the forthcoming fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). Residents are invited to attend the annual budget hearings held in April and May of each year, which are open to the public. The budget document is available to the public, upon request, following its adoption (by charter, third Monday in May).
Preparation and publication of the city’s annual financial statement is another important function of the finance department. The statement, by law, is audited by an independent certified public accounting firm whose findings are presented to the Mayor and City Council and to the Michigan Department of Treasury. The City is proud to announce that for 48 consecutive years, its annual financial statement has received national recognitions for its financial reporting and disclosure policies. This detailed document, known as the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, is available to the public upon request. It is published in late fall of each year. These reports are also available online by visiting the Budget & Report Category.
