Council receives January 2025 financial report; director says position stable despite lower year‑to‑date revenues

The Scottsbluff City Council unanimously received the January 2025 financial report from Finance Director Len Kasier.

Kasier reviewed budget‑to‑actual comparisons and year‑to‑date cash positions, saying the city was about $369,000 below last year's comparable position but that the difference was largely attributable to one‑time items last year such as insurance claim proceeds and bond proceeds tied to a June 2023 hailstorm. "We haven't got a big chunk of property tax or anything like that yet, so not too bothered by that," Kasier said.

Kasier highlighted a strong January sales‑tax month that boosted monthly cash by roughly $618,000 and noted the department heads were generally keeping expenditures in line with expectations. He walked councilmembers through department‑level notes — for example, the GIS department receives scheduled transfers and the wastewater fund had an early purchase of a motor grader as a budgeted equipment item.

Councilmembers asked questions about the public safety fund, vehicle replacement timetables for police and fire apparatus, and festival‑season procurement timelines. Kasier said the public safety fund supports police, fire and emergency management capital and operating needs as a means of separating those costs from the general fund. When asked about vehicle availability he said police car lead times have improved to about 90 days but that fire apparatus lead times remain longer.

After brief questions, a councilmember moved and seconded to receive the financial report; the council voted yes on the motion.