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North St. Paul finance director reports small projected surplus in first-quarter 2025 update
Summary
Finance Director Winick told the North St. Paul City Council at a workshop that the city’s early 2025 financial picture is stable, with a projected modest general fund surplus and positive enterprise-fund variances, but police overtime and timing of major revenues warrant monitoring.
Finance Director Winick told the North St. Paul City Council during a workshop that the city’s first-quarter 2025 finances look generally positive but remain provisional because major revenues are not received until later in the year.
Winick said the council-approved 2025 general fund budget of about $10,400,000 is currently projected to finish the year with a modest positive variance of roughly $142,000, but cautioned that the projection is based on three months of activity and on historical trends. He noted that property taxes are not due until May and local government aid typically does not arrive until June, making early-year figures incomplete.
The presentation broke the general fund into department-level results. Building inspections showed lower permit revenue and corresponding lower expenditures that roughly offset one another. Winick identified police staffing and related overtime as the line item that needs the closest monitoring: he said training and field training officer (FTO) backfill have produced higher overtime, estimating overtime expanded by about $80,000 so far, though salary savings elsewhere have helped offset that cost.
Winick also reviewed enterprise funds and said his preliminary projections show positive variances versus budget: electric about $388,000, wastewater about $138,000, surface water about $130,000 and water about $84,000. He emphasized these are early-year snapshots and that quarterly updates will continue so the council stays informed of trends.
Council members asked a few clarifying questions; no formal budget decisions were made at the workshop. Winick committed to continuing the quarterly reporting cadence so the council can watch revenue timing and staffing-related costs through the year.
