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Sunbury finance staff report stronger interest income, higher salt costs and delayed 2024 invoices
Summary
Finance staff reviewed year‑to‑date revenue and expense reports: interest income is tracking above budget, some state grant awards were not received, salt and other winter-related costs were notable, and several 2024 invoices were paid in 2025 affecting variances.
Sunbury City Finance staff presented the city’s year‑to‑date revenue and expense report at the March 2025 Finance Committee meeting and outlined several items affecting the near‑term budget outlook.
Finance staff reported interest income of about $130,000 year to date against a $400,000 budgeted amount and said the city is likely to exceed that budgeted total. Staff listed expected state grants included in capital projects: $500,000 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for JR Smith Park and $520,000 for a hazard‑mitigation project on Walnut Street; staff also noted the city did not receive a $300,000 OPWC grant it had expected. Staff noted a modest increase in revenue from electric vehicle charging stations relative to the small budget for that line.
On expenses, staff highlighted several variance drivers: payments for payroll timing (months with three payrolls), a large late invoice for street lighting that related to 2024 purchases but was paid in 2025, and a significant outlay for road salt and hauling (about $48,000) driven by a heavier winter and rising commodity costs. Staff also identified contractual payments to Verdantus (design consultant) and other vendors; Verdantus invoices of roughly $143,000 were among the larger checks identified in the check register for February. Staff explained that some Verdantus and legal costs tied to Eastside development engineering are out‑of‑pocket now but expected to be recaptured from developers under future development agreements.
The sewer fund showed higher spending in contractual services and capital sewer billing tied to a Baker Tilly sewer-rate study completed late in 2024; chemicals at the wastewater treatment plant were another noted expense. Staff also flagged semiannual OWDA loan payments, which are paid in January and July and therefore show 50% of the annual budget spent in January.
On income tax collections, staff presented category trends and said year‑to‑date collections were about 7% below 2024 levels, driven largely by a one‑time spike in individual payments the prior year related to the city’s collection efforts. Staff cautioned that it is too early in the year to project final annual collections from the February snapshot.
Staff closed by noting bank‑to‑book reconciliation totals and offering to provide additional detail to committee members and the public on request. The committee had no immediate actions beyond asking staff to continue monitoring variances and bring follow‑up information as needed.
