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Williamsport council approves contract with PFM to update city financial strategic plan
Summary
The council voted to hire PFM Group Consulting LLC to update Williamsport's financial strategic plan; the Commonwealth (DCED) will cover 90% of the roughly $121,000 project and the city’s share is about $12,000. Council members discussed timeline, deliverables and opportunities for council engagement.
Williamsport City Council on Feb. 27 approved a resolution authorizing a professional services agreement with PFM Group Consulting LLC to update the city’s financial strategic plan, with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) covering about 90% of the estimated $121,000 cost and the city contributing roughly $12,000.
The contract was introduced by Mayor Slaughter, who said DCED officials “would, cover 90% of the cost for this update,” and by council members who said the work should be completed in time to inform next year’s budget. The resolution passed on a 6-0 vote.
The council and PFM discussed a three-phase engagement. The firm told the council it would (1) analyze historical financials and identify the main fiscal drivers; (2) interview department directors, unions and stakeholders to align services with priorities; and (3) produce a five-year baseline projection and prioritized strategies. The PFM representative described deliverables that include “a 5-line 5-year financial plan,” an Excel financial planning model and one day of training for staff.
Council members pressed on timing and participation. Councilmember Vincent Pulizzi asked whether projections would assume current figures remain static or would reflect historical trends; the PFM representative said they would use the latter, saying they aim to show “if you do nothing, where do things naturally go on their own?” Several members urged some level of direct engagement by council with the consultant and suggested periodic reports to the finance committee during the study.
Finance committee members and administration said funding for the city’s share was available because money previously budgeted for work at Young’s Woods was replaced by a third-party contribution. The administration estimated the study could take about nine months, a timeframe council members described as tight but feasible to yield recommendations in time for budgeting decisions.
Council President Yoder and other members also noted the study could be an opportunity to explore additional topics in the scope, including marketing and broader governance questions such as home rule, which councilmembers said DCED suggested was being explored by other municipalities.
The motion passed with the following recorded votes: Allison — yes; Mackey — yes; Pulizzi — yes; Katz — yes; Meeley — yes; Yoder — yes. Outcome: approved.
