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WILKES-BARRE —The city’s general fund balance dropped by almost half last month as a result of payments into the five pension plans.
The draft financial report for September listed a balance of $5.39 million, a drop of $5.02 million from the previous month.
Three quarters into the year revenues totalled $38.55 million compared to $33.16 million in expenses, according to the draft report.
“We paid our (minimum municipal obligation),” said city Administrator Ted Wampole of the decrease.
The MMO is the smallest contribution that the state requires from Wilkes-Barre and other municipalities into their employee pension plans. The city paid a total of $5.56 million into its plans:
• $1,888,821 non-uniformed.
• $1,138,352 old police.
• $983,682 new police.
• $935,428 old fire.
•$617,672 new fire.
With the pension payment out of the way, the city still has a $3 million Tax Anticipation Note due and a total of $3.43 million in debt service payments to make before the end of year, according to the report.
The two service fees that were increased this year to balance the $49.46 million budget continued to lag behind projections.
The parking meter fee that was doubled to $2 an hour, brought in $556,576 or 55.66 percent of the $1 million budgeted.
The garbage bag fee performed better and generated $1.09 million in revenues or 67.21 percent of the $1.63 million budgeted.
Mayor Tony George scaled them back in his proposed $50.43 million balanced budget for 2019. He budgeted $750,000 in meter revenues and $1.6 million for the garbage bags.
Looking at expenses, overtime continued to climb in several departments.
Firefighting overtime rang in at $130,051, or 260 percent of the $50,000 budgeted amount.
Waste collection by the Department of Public Works totaled $145,383, or 194 percent of the budgeted amount of $75,000.
Overtime in those departments was adjusted upward to $150,000 in next year’s proposed budget. Wampole said the adjustments were based on current trends.