Newark Alliance budget discussion highlights accounting challenges after merger; council told separate budgets and audits will continue

Council members questioned why the Newark Alliance’s 2025 budget packet was submitted in October. Evan Weiss, identified as chief executive officer of Newark Alliance, told the council the delay stemmed from accounting complexities after the organization assumed responsibilities previously held by separate entities, including the dissolved visitors bureau and the Downtown District.

Weiss said the Alliance must maintain separate revenue streams for the Newark Downtown District and tourism fees, because rules and donor/grant conditions require that funds stay within their intended programs. He said grants from state government and corporate donors such as Prudential Financial and Audible needed careful reconciliation to ensure each fund is accounted for properly.

Weiss told the council he expects to present future budgets earlier once the accounting systems are reconciled. He also said it is likely there will be two separate audits for the special-improvement district and tourism-improvement-district functions for the foreseeable future, and that the Alliance has posted three job openings for tourism functions.

Council members asked follow-up questions about whether the budgets would be presented as one unified program budget and how audits will be done. Weiss said he expects to present a single program-level view for transparency while keeping legally required separate books for each fund, and that council approvals for the two budgets will likely continue through at least 2037.

The council scheduled a public hearing on the Alliance’s 2025 annual budget for the next meeting; no final council action on the budget was recorded at the pre-meeting.