BAY ST. LOUIS David Kolf, the Bay St. Louis municipal clerk, used the public forum at Tuesday’s city council meeting to answer criticism and rumors about the city’s finances and accounting practices.

Kolf presented a stack of annual city audits for the last seven years as proof of the city’s financial standing, which he said was not on the verge of liquidation. He said cash is tight right now due to large debt service payments made in July. No findings in any of the audits questioned the overall accounting practices of the city, he said.

Council member Joey Boudin has said he doesn’t receive reports on city finances that he requests and Kolf told him to come to his office Wednesday morning and he would supply the information Boudin said he did not receive.

Kolf said that Boudin spent four hours in his office on Wednesday morning. “City Hall has a very open door policy about anyone that wants to come in and ask questions regarding finances. Anyone is welcome to come in and meet with us to discuss any financial questions,” Kolf said.

The first workshop for the fiscal 2014 budget is Aug. 15 at 5:30 p.m. at the City Council meeting room. The workshop will focus on revenue for the general fund and expenses for the utility fund. “This is the time for anyone interested in how our tax dollars are being spent to voice an opinion,” Kolf said.