HOUGHTON — The Houghton City Council approved its fiscal year 2023 audit during a short meeting Wednesday night.

The audit by Anderson, Tackman & Co. was clean, indicating the financial statements are in order, said City Manager Eric Waara.

“It’s a pretty boring audit, which is the way you like those,” he said.

The city’s tax base and net positions increased, while fund balances also went up.

The city’s combined fund balances were at $5,475,330 at the end of June, up nearly $2.4 million over the previous fiscal year. Houghton’s total net position grew by 12% to $2,380,188.

Residential and commercial taxable values increased between 4% to 6% over fiscal year 2022, auditors said.

The audit also noted Houghton has obtained more grant money than many municipalities, particularly ones of its size, Waara said.

In other action, the council:

• Approved a resolution applying for state formula operating assistance for the transit department, as well as approving the 2024 transit budget. The balanced budget of $637,950 includes revenues of $114,900 in federal funds, $257,100 in state funds and $265,950 in local funds.

The budget and state reimbursement are both higher than in previous years, Waara said. Waara said the department is planning to bring in a transit system director and dispatcher for a retirement in the coming year.

• Heard a report from Chief John Donnelly. In 2023, the department received 2,709 calls for service, up from 2,663 last year, and made about 160 arrests, down from 180 in 2022.

• Heard an update from Waara on the snowmobile crossing under the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. About 1,000 cubic yards of snow is needed before the crossing can be opened.

“When there’s the ability to put the snow on the bridge, when the groomers are taking to the trails and grooming the trails, we will do that,” Waara said.

• Added a resolution to the agenda for the Feb. 24 meeting recommending that owners of properties targeted for demolition recycle and reuse the materials when possible. The resolution, suggested by Council Craig Waddell and formally introduced by Councilor Mike Needham, was prompted by a letter to the editor regarding materials from the former Hardee’s building. Waara said he was unsure what had been done with the material from the building, but that he had seen materials such as steel and concrete being separated. Given the value of steel, he believed that material would be sold to a salvage yard rather than being taken away for disposal.