DUBOIS – Wessel & Company, the firm performing the 2023 City of DuBois audit, has requested additional payment from the city.

During Monday night’s council meeting, it was reported that the firm had requested additional payment due to needing to work over 290 hours beyond the contracted amount.

In a letter sent to the city by the firm, which was given to the media, 210 of those hours were attributed to a combination of staff turnover and the inability to find audit documentation in “a timely manner.”

The remaining 80 hours was attributed to finding a high-volume of transactions and accounts linked to the city’s EIN tax number that weren’t being recorded properly. 

Wessel & Company stated that this added $19,370 of extra work to the original expected $32,000 cost.  W&C was also willing to settle for $10,000 instead of $19,000.

Council voted 4-1 to pay W&C the $10,000 overage.  Council Member Jennifer Jackson was the sole nay vote.

Sewer/Water Rates

Also, on Monday night, DuBois residents expressed discontent over the water and sewer rate increases. 

Water and sewer rates are both being raised $2 per thousand gallons, according to previously-published reports.

Some present questioned how this worked with the promised reduction of costs that would come with consolidation.

City Beautification

Mayor Pat Reasinger also announced that additional members are being sought for the “Beautification Committee.”

It currently has two members: Kathleen Clement and Marianne Fyda.  Interested individuals should contact the city office.

Reasinger addressed some questions regarding the new planters and trees around the city.

For the project, Reasinger credited the following funding sources, including:

• a $5,000 grant from Domtar.
• a $4,000 grant from Giant, owners of Martin’s.
• $12,927 in “in-kind gifts” from the City of DuBois for digging holes.
• $13,400 worth of volunteer labor.
• $14,000 for the pots that were part of the 2024 budget.
• $600 in flower bulbs.

Blight

It was also noted that the City of DuBois has applied for and received a $500,000 Home Grant for blight prevention.

When asked following the meeting, Reasinger indicated that the funding was specifically for homes that are not yet fully-blighted and are currently occupied.

This grant is to help get occupied homes to code compliance before becoming fully blighted.