The city of Durango is working with the Colorado Department of Local Affairs to review the 2020 budget for accuracy and best practices, interim City Manager Amber Blake announced Tuesday.

The proposed 2020 budget for the city of Durango is riddled with errors and miscalculations, city staff discovered late last year. While City Council in December approved spending to operate the city in 2020, staff members have yet to publish a budget explaining in detail how taxpayer dollars will be spent.

The city asked DOLA’s Budgeting and Finance Office to review the proposed 2020 budget to ensure actual spending amounts and reserve fund totals listed in the document match what auditors found in a review of 2018 spending, Blake said.

DOLA provides technical assistance to local governments and does research on local government issues. The agency has agreed to review Durango’s budget.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is also reviewing city financial documents as part of a criminal investigation into alleged misappropriation of public funds. Blake said Tuesday that the state investigation is “moving forward,” but CBI investigators are unsure when the review may be complete.

Former Finance Director Julie Brown resigned about the same time the CBI investigation was announced.

DOLA is also preparing recommended best practices for city budgeting, Blake said. City staff members plan to present DOLA findings to City Council and recommend amendments to approved spending within four to six weeks, she said.

bhauff@durangoherald.com

A previous version of this story stated the Colorado Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the 2020 budget as part of its investigation into the misappropriation of public funds. CBI is reviewing past financial documents as part of its investigation.