Mount Pleasant city officials present financial audit two months late
Mayor Boomer Wingard of the Mt Pleasant City Commission speaks to ask a question about the annual comprehensive financial report during the meeting at City Hall on Monday, Sept. 28, 2026. (CM-Life | Kassidy Daniel)
The Mount Pleasant City Commission presented the audit for the 2025 fiscal year on Monday, Sept. 28. Mount Pleasant is required to have the financial audit into the state of Michigan by June 30.
Tax distributions were also a few days late this year. Financial Director Lauren Pavlowski said there are multiple reasons for the audit and tax delays, including the city treasurer turnover, outstanding bank reconciliations and staff availability.
“It was just not aligning with the treasury prescribed 10 business days after the close of that section of the taxes," Pavlowski said. "So, the taxes are usually paid on the 15th and the end of the month. We were sometimes a couple days late, no more than a week, but it did have that delay.”
The City Treasurer position has seen high turnover with two major changes in personnel due to retirement or appointments in June of 2023 and April of 2025. There was not a lot of overlapping time between treasurers leaving little room to teach about city procedures.
Pavlowski said there are different steps being taken to ensure the same issues cannot happen again in the future. One of the steps is cross training city employees so there are more people to help when vacancies happen or other issues arise. Another is to have a plan in motion for bank reconciliations, so there is not an outstanding amount like there was in 2025.
“We’ve been aware of the different issues coming out of 2025 and going into this year," Mayor Boomer Wingard said. "It’s something we’ve been working through, just as a team. I appreciate the thoroughness of staff. Any challenges that we were seeing the staff is laying out direct action for how to better improve and proceed for the future.”
While the audit was late, it showed nothing was out of order for the City of Mount Pleasants' financial funds, Wingard said.
One penalty for turning a city audit in late is grant funding from the state being withheld.
“We made sure that we filed extensions that were necessary to help alleviate so we didn't have as many penalties coming at us,” Pavlowski said.
In other news:
- The Mill Street Landing project was unanimously approved to begin construction at three different sites that will bring 50 new low-income apartments to Mount Pleasant. The plan is to construct a mix of one-to-three-bedroom apartments. Rent will be based off the income of the household. Those most vulnerable will pay no more than 30% of their monthly income. Located at 200 Walnut Street there will be 22 units, at 410 Mill Street there will be 24 units and at 208 Walnut Street there will be 4 units.
- Police Officer Rustin LaRose was sworn into the Mount Pleasant police force by Assistant Chief of Police Brandon Bliss.
- Fire Chief Doug Lobsinger swore in full-time firefighter Marcus Zuker into the Mount Pleasant Fire Department.
