The city of Los Altos received a "clean" audit report for the fiscal year 1997-98, said Dave Standridge in a Dec. 1 memo to the city's Citizens' Financial Advisory Committee.
"The word 'clean' audit is one of the highest marks you can have," said Councilwoman Kris Casto at the Dec. 15 city council meeting.
The audit was prepared by Caporicci & Larson. The audit also identified "no material weaknesses or reportable conditions in our financial management system," Standridge said.
City staff shared the credit with Sherry Lambach, the city's finance director from 1990 until her death in July 1998.
She was known for her attention to detail and budgets that consistently won awards.
"The internal controls we have in place were developed by her. She wouldn't accept anything less than that. We're very proud," Standridge said.
"You set up systems" so that you receive a "clean audit," said City Manager Phil Rose. Lambach "was a large part of that," he said.
Demolition to begin soon at 401 Rosita
The Los Altos City Council awarded a demolition contract at its Dec. 15 meeting for removing the classroom and convent buildings at the city-owned 401 Rosita site.
The contract for $66,350 went to the low bidder, West Pac Engineering, said Bruce Bane, director of public works. Total cost for the demolition, which should begin soon after the first of the year, is expected to be $70,700.
In addition to the building removal, this phase also includes removing paving, interior fences, shrubs and trees, Bane said.
The work is being done to prepare the site for a landscaping project that is scheduled to begin in February, and will create 3.9 acres of playing fields, Bane said.
As part of the demolition, some electrical rerouting will need to be done, Bane said, since the main electrical panel that serves the gym is in the classroom section slated for tear-down.
The demolition will take about 10 days, Bane said.
- Joanne Griffith Domingue