Office of the City Controller
The Office of the City Controller is an autonomous office of the City of Erie headed by the City Controller an independently elected official. As a result, the office maintains its independent nature and provides for the financial oversight for the citizens of Erie. The Office of City Controller is empowered and responsible for all audit and budgetary controls for the City of Erie.
Council provides by ordinance for control of the city’s finances by the City Controller. This function includes, but is not limited to ensuring that an encumbrance form of budgeting is in operation, that expenditures are made only upon written requisition, and provides for pre-audit of all claims against the City. The City Controller is also responsible for establishing and maintaining the records of the municipal employees pension systems.
The duties of the City Controller include but are not limited to the following:
- To examine, audit and verify all books, records, and accounts of the City of Erie.
- To examine and approve all contracts, purchase orders and other documents by which the city incurs financial obligations.
- To pre-audit and approve for payment all bills, invoices, payrolls and any other evidence of claims.
- To submit to City Council, the Administration, The Commonwealth or Federal Government any reports required or requested by them.
- To serve as a voting member on all pension boards and committees.
- To serve as Treasurer on the Aggregate Pension Board.
- To serve on the Water Reserve Sinking Fund Committee.
- To perform audits on any city account, or wherever the city has a financial interest.
The above duties and responsibilities require that the Controller insure that all the above are in compliance with The Third Class City Code, all laws of the Commonwealth, Federal law, city administrative policy, and city ordinances. After all assurances are met, the signature of the Controller shall as a legal requirement be affixed to the aforementioned documents.
Additional Information
Act 44 Disclosures
Chapter 7-A of Act 44 of 2009 mandates the annual disclosure of certain information by every Contractor which is a party to a professional services contract with one of the pension funds of the Municipality. Act 44 disclosure requirements apply to Contractors who provide professional pension services and receive payment of any kind from the Municipality’s pension fund. It is the Municipality’s responsibility to prepare and send the Disclosure Form to all Contractors requesting their responses.
When the Municipality receives the completed forms, the Contractors’ responses should be reviewed by the Municipality to determine if there any conflicts of interest. The Municipality should file these completed Disclosure Forms with the pension plan documents. If the Municipality maintains a website, it is required by Act 44 that all Disclosure Forms be posted on the website.
The City of Erie has three pension plans, the Fire Pension Plan for firefighters, the Police Pension Plan for police officers and the Officers and Employees Pension Plan for all other full-time employees.
Copies of the Act 44 submissions are provided through the links below:
Section 702-A of Act 44 of 2009, Pa.Stat.Ann.tit 53, § 895.101 et seq., requires each municipal pension system to develop procedures related to contracts for the provision of professional services, including investment services, legal services, real estate services and other consulting services. The City of Erie Officers and Employees Retirement Plan (the “Retirement Plan”) hereby enacts these procedures governing the selection of applicants for all professional services contracts.
Investment Policies
Officers and Employees Deferred Retirement Option Plan
RFPs
There are no outstanding RFPs at this time.