Consultant urges Edmond to consolidate 58 funds to simplify budget and reporting

Frank Crawford, president of Crawford & Associates, told the Edmond City Council on March 30 that the city’s accounting and budgeting structure has become overly complex and recommended a two-part project: (1) review and shrink the fund structure (the ‘‘pockets’’) and (2) simplify the accounting and reporting within remaining funds.

Crawford said the city currently has about 58 funds spread across the city, the Edmond Public Works Authority and the Edmond Economic Development Authority, and that many funds exist for historical, administrative or grant-driven reasons. He said the fund-by-fund complexity and very granular indirect-cost allocations make it difficult for elected officials and the public to state the citywide budget or to know how much of an ending balance is spendable, restricted or committed. ‘‘Once we shrink the fund structure,’’ Crawford said, ‘‘the pocket itself works on a mathematical formula. It’s 1 plus anticipated revenues minus appropriations equals 1.’’

Crawford recommended eliminating excessive interdepartmental indirect-cost allocations at the ‘‘weeds level’’ while retaining internal service funds for large shared costs (group health, fleet, risk management). He said staff has already cataloged funds and legal constraints and anticipates some consolidation elements could be introduced before the next fiscal year, but a fuller implementation is likely by the FY 27–28 cycle.

Council members praised the work and asked for a starter kit of proposed consolidations that could be considered this fiscal year; Crawford said staff has already prepared a fund inventory and could bring discrete proposals to close or merge specific funds and to create clearer line-item identities inside consolidated funds. He emphasized transfers between funds will remain visible after consolidation so the public will see which utilities or funds subsidize the general fund.

The council did not vote on any ordinance or change; staff will bring proposed fund consolidations and timing to future meetings for council consideration.