Texas Water Board to Alpine: Have adequate resources to pay your bills

By John Waters, Publisher

The fiscal turmoil at the City of Alpine continues. In a letter dated April 12, 2013 to Alpine Mayor Avi Rangra, the Texas Water Development Board said is unable to conclude if Alpine is in compliance with a variety of obligations and conditions related to over $4.2 million the city has borrowed from the agency.

Additionally, the city has not provided the water board with a final accounting for two Economically Distressed Area Program Grants totaling $188,000.

The water board said it was unable to determine if transfers the city made from water board funds to the city general fund are in compliance with Texas Water Code. In Fiscal Year 2012, the city transferred $569,350 to the general fund.

The water board demanded the city discontinue all transfers and provide documentation of all transfers for the last two fiscal years. The water board blasted the city for the findings found by its accountants in the recent Annual Financial Report:

“Additionally, although not a compliance issue, staff noted that the general fund had a deficit balance of $912,550, a bank overdraft of $222,370, and accounts payable of $1,080,783 which exceeds unrestricted capital of $397,683. Please review and take appropriate steps to assure that the City continues to have adequate resources to meet its financial obligations.”