{"id":34192,"date":"2020-04-21T12:45:11","date_gmt":"2020-04-21T16:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/?p=34192"},"modified":"2020-04-21T12:45:11","modified_gmt":"2020-04-21T16:45:11","slug":"city-council-gets-update-on-financial-situation-during-monday-work-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/city-council-gets-update-on-financial-situation-during-monday-work-session\/","title":{"rendered":"City Council Gets Update on Financial Situation During Monday Work Session"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_34193\" style=\"width: 770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-council-zoom.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34193\" data-attachment-id=\"34193\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/city-council-gets-update-on-financial-situation-during-monday-work-session\/city-council-zoom\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-council-zoom.jpg?fit=760%2C429&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"760,429\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"City council zoom\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Members of the Jamestown City Council and administration held a work session meeting via Zoom on Monday night, April 20.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-council-zoom.jpg?fit=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-council-zoom.jpg?fit=760%2C429&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-34193\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-council-zoom.jpg?resize=760%2C429&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"760\" height=\"429\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-council-zoom.jpg?w=760&amp;ssl=1 760w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-council-zoom.jpg?resize=300%2C169&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-34193\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Members of the Jamestown City Council and administration held a work session meeting via Zoom on Monday night, April 20.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p>JAMESTOWN &#8211; As governments around the world continue to deal with economic uncertainty caused by <strong>COVID-19<\/strong>, local government across the country are also beginning to plan for the uncertainty that lies ahead.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday night the <strong>Jamestown City Council<\/strong> joined city administration in a streamed work session and spent a great deal of time discussing COVID-19 and how prepared the city is to deal with the economic fallout.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jamestownny.net\/live\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>WATCH THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING AT JAMESTOWNNY.NET<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_34195\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-34195\" data-attachment-id=\"34195\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/city-council-gets-update-on-financial-situation-during-monday-work-session\/city-council-4-20-20-budget-review\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?fit=722%2C1558&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"722,1558\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"City Council &#8211; 4-20-20 &#8211; Budget Review\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?fit=139%2C300&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?fit=475%2C1024&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"wp-image-34195\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?resize=350%2C755&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?resize=475%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 475w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?resize=139%2C300&amp;ssl=1 139w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?resize=712%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 712w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-Council-4-20-20-Budget-Review.jpg?w=722&amp;ssl=1 722w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-34195\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>The 2019 year-end budget summary for Jamestown, provided by city comptroller Joe Bellitto on April 20, 2020. <\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Mayor <strong>Eddie Sundquist<\/strong> told the council members that he&#8217;s talked with other mayors from around the state as well as members of his finance team and the exact impact remains unknown.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We really do not know what this COVID-19 crisis is going to do to our city&#8217;s budget. We are projecting anywhere from a $1 million to a $4 million deficit,&#8221; Sundquist said.<\/p>\n<p>Total spending for the city&#8217;s 2020 budget that was approved last November is $36.6 million. But while the city will likely see a noticeable &#8211; if not significant &#8211; budget deficit this year, a silver-lining is that the city also saw a budget surplus from 2019.<\/p>\n<p>City Comptroller <strong>Joe Bellitto<\/strong> Monday night also reviewed the final unaudited budget numbers from 2019, pointing out that the city finished the year with a surplus of $1.4 million.\u00a0 He said the biggest contributor to that surplus was the city&#8217;s health insurance costs being lower than anticipated.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;During some years we&#8217;ve had some terrible years with health insurance, but for the past three years we&#8217;ve finished in very good shape with our self-insured health insurance program. We&#8217;ve started to see some success with our wellness program that was instituted several years ago,&#8221; Bellitto said, while adding, &#8220;We can&#8217;t put total emphasis on that because people have had sicknesses and surgeries [in the past], but in total I think we&#8217;re really starting to see some positive changes.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The 2019 surplus brings the city&#8217;s undesignated fund balance up to $3.8 million. But Bellitto cautioned that while the city does have some money in the fund balance reserve that it could use to deal with a likely budget gap, there&#8217;s also several non-COVID-19-related concerns that could quickly eat away at it.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Miscellaneous revenues for the city pretty much remained flat. Our future healthcare liability remains at $162 million&#8230; a very staggering number. We talked about our retirement cost is still large, about $3 million, and that has been leveling off. But rates may increase next year based on how the stock market finished on March 31, which was the end of the state&#8217;s fiscal year,&#8221; Bellitto said.<\/p>\n<p>Bellitto also noted that the pending appellate court decision regarding the contract arbitration ruling with the city police union could have an impact on spending, depending on whether or not the court rules the public safety union does in fact deserve a retroactive salary increase. That 4th Appellate Division in Rochester is currently reviewing that case and could have a decision in the near future.<\/p>\n<p>Another big unknown is the city&#8217;s sales tax revenue moving forward. The council learned last night that first quarter sales tax revenue will likely be on track compared to past years, but any of that gain will likely be lost due to the economic shutdown that began near the middle of March.\u00a0 The first quarter sales tax revenue will be known by the end of this month or early May.<\/p>\n<p>Mayor Sundquist said unless the federal or state governments provides additional aid to the city because of the pandemic, city officials might have to consider taken steps to close any budget gaps, which could include layoffs, although he added that isn&#8217;t something he will pursue if he can help it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>JAMESTOWN &#8211; As governments around the world continue to deal with economic uncertainty caused by COVID-19, local government across the country are also beginning to plan for the uncertainty that lies ahead. On Monday night the Jamestown City Council joined city administration in a streamed work session and spent a great deal of time discussing [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":34193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[4],"tags":[8537,9709,7652,1122,1240],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/City-council-zoom.jpg?fit=760%2C429&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3YlJ4-8Tu","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27712,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/jamestown-city-council-to-hold-final-meeting-of-year-monday-night\/","url_meta":{"origin":34192,"position":0},"title":"Jamestown City Council to Hold Final Meeting of Year Monday Night","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"December 17, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"JAMESTOWN - The Jamestown City Council will hold its final voting session of 2018 Monday night in City Hall. The agenda contains mostly routine resolutions but among them is an emergency purchase of a new Trackless MT-7 Machine for the Department of Public Works, at a cost not to exceed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/City-Council-Nov-26-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C753&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/City-Council-Nov-26-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C753&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/City-Council-Nov-26-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C753&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/City-Council-Nov-26-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C753&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/City-Council-Nov-26-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C753&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27272,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/jamestown-city-council-holds-budget-hearing-monday-night\/","url_meta":{"origin":34192,"position":1},"title":"Jamestown City Council Holds Budget Hearing Monday Night","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"November 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"JAMESTOWN - It\u2019s a busy Monday night for the Jamestown City Council. The council will hold a public hearing on the tentative 2019 city budget, which includes $36 million in total spending with no property tax increase due to the city reaching its constitutional taxing limit. RELATED: TERESI DISCUSSES 2019\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":26993,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/city-council-continues-budget-review-before-voting-session-monday-night-at-city-hall\/","url_meta":{"origin":34192,"position":2},"title":"City Council Continues Budget Review Before Voting Session Monday Night at City Hall","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"October 29, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"JAMESTOWN - It will be a busy night at city hall for the Jamestown City Council Monday as members continue to review the 2019 budget while also attending their monthly voting session. BUDGET HEARINGS CONTINUE Budget hearings for the city council begin at 6:30 p.m. in the mayor\u2019s conference room\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Jamestown-City-Council-Aug-2018.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36445,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/city-council-to-hold-budget-work-session-monday-night\/","url_meta":{"origin":34192,"position":3},"title":"City Council to Hold Budget Work Session Monday Night","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"November 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"JAMESTOWN - The Jamestown City Council will be holding a special work session Monday devoted just to hammering out amendments to the Mayor Eddie Sundquist's $34.9 million budget. VIEW THE MAYOR'S BUDGET Last Monday the council held a budget hearing and heard from both current and retired union members who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2021-city-budget-feature.jpg?fit=677%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2021-city-budget-feature.jpg?fit=677%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2021-city-budget-feature.jpg?fit=677%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":55513,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/jamestown-city-council-wraps-up-budget-presentations\/","url_meta":{"origin":34192,"position":4},"title":"Jamestown City Council Wraps Up Budget Presentations","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"November 7, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Jamestown City Council has wrapped up budget presentations and are now moving onto budget discussions. Council heard presentations from the Fenton History Center and Department of Development Monday night. Council President Tony Dolce said American Rescue Plan funds and leftover contingency funds have helped over the last few years take\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/City-Council-11-6-23.jpg?fit=741%2C437&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/City-Council-11-6-23.jpg?fit=741%2C437&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/City-Council-11-6-23.jpg?fit=741%2C437&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/City-Council-11-6-23.jpg?fit=741%2C437&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36654,"url":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/jamestown-city-council-to-hold-special-voting-session-on-budget-vetoes\/","url_meta":{"origin":34192,"position":5},"title":"Jamestown City Council to Hold Special Voting Session on Budget Vetoes","author":"WRFA Radio","date":"December 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"JAMESTOWN - The Jamestown City Council will be holding a special voting session Monday at 7 p.m. to consider two budget vetoes that were issued by Mayor Eddie Sundquist last week. On Nov. 30, the council approved a $35.5 million city budget that included several amendments to the spending plan\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Local News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Local News","link":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/category\/news\/local-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2021-city-budget-feature.jpg?fit=677%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2021-city-budget-feature.jpg?fit=677%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2021-city-budget-feature.jpg?fit=677%2C450&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34192"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34192"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34196,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34192\/revisions\/34196"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrfalp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}