FAIRHOPE, Ala.—A public meeting called by the mayor to open the books on city finances was sparsely attended this week, but the documents produced by the administration were extensive and the questions answered, thorough and comprehensive.

“I was hoping to get a few more people here this morning,” Mayor Tim Kant said Tuesday morning. “But I’ve called this meeting because so many people have asked questions about our finances.”

When the meeting started at 8 a.m., less than a dozen people were in the large Civic Center auditorium; by the end of the hour-long informal presentation about 30 people had gathered.

Although the meeting did not draw a crowd, several city staff did explain in detail the workings of the finances of a city with an annual budget of more than $50 million, and which operates a public utilities system and a golf course.

“There is a back-up piece of source document for every single transaction,” said Rose Fogarty, financial reporting manager, as she described the process by which city revenues and expenditures are tracked and reported.

Although the public was invited to submit written questions or requests for documents in advance or at the meeting, only seven people took the city up on its offer, based on the city’s response to a public records request for that information and attendance at the meeting by the Fairhope Courier.

“I think more people are satisfied in this small town than people think,” said Joe Cook, as the reason for the low turnout.

Despite the small number of participants, the types of questions asked and information sought were similar to those aired during the last campaign season and debated on local Internet bulletin boards and in City Council meetings for the past six months.

In addition to Kant and Fogarty, the audience heard reports on city finances from City Treasurer Nancy Wilson, Purchasing Officer Dan Ames and Administrative Superintendent James Gillespie.

A sampling of the questions, documents requested and some of the responses follows.

<“Fuel adjustment rate” information.

The Courier received a substantial amount of information to its requests, all of which were responded to completely and in detail, and will be reporting some of that data in the future.

“Any of this kind of information is always available to any citizen,” said Wilson, after she finished a brief report on mayoral and City Council member expenses. “Just call City Hall, and we’ll have it ready for you.”

Earlier this year the city implemented a new city records policy, which has increased the availability of public information and reduced the cost of obtaining it. Kant initiated that policy change, which was approved by the council, and now governs the process for requesting public records pursuant to the state Open Records Act. That policy and a form for requesting information is available on the city’s Web site at www.cofairhope.com.

“I hope this cleared up some of the questions,” Kant said. “I want to thank everyone for coming.”