Finance director reports 2024 closeout details; council hears options for cemetery maintenance and garbage fund credit

Finance Director Amy Hendricks reported to Vermilion City Council on remaining 2024 closeout tasks, current fund balances, and projections for 2025. The presentation covered capital-asset updates, reimbursements from state-funded projects and fund-specific carryover balances that will shape next year’s spending priorities.

Hendricks told council that closeout entries were still being posted and that reimbursements related to state-funded street projects increased revenues and expenses in fund 200 by about $700,000 — roughly three times the usual annual reimbursement level. She said the city’s general fund began the year at about $6.2 million and the finance team expects an ending balance near $5.67 million after year-end adjustments.

On specific funds, Hendricks said the street-bond fund (513) has about $838,914 available for 2025 projects. The water fund closed the year up about $417,000 and the wastewater fund is just under $2.4 million to contribute toward an upcoming wastewater-treatment project. Hendricks also confirmed that an accumulated balance of $1.2 million in fund 602 resulted from the rate increase that took effect Jan. 1.

She said the city provided a two-month credit for residential garbage service in 2024 because of a carryover in that fund, and residents will receive another credit in January and also in June 2025. Council members asked for more detail about the city’s overall residential garbage expense; Hendricks reported the city’s total billing for residential service (including city facilities) runs roughly $115,000 per month.

Hendricks also raised cemetery maintenance. She said the city’s cemetery endowment is intended to support maintenance when operating revenue from lots and services declines. Historically the general fund has transferred about $35,000 annually to cover cemetery shortfalls for equipment repairs and storm-related tree work. "I would like to have council consider no action this evening, but to give some thought to possibly taking a small amount of money, maybe even $5,000 a year, transferring that to the endowment fund to be able to make sure that our cemeteries are maintained," Hendricks said.

On property taxes, Hendricks said updated calculations from Erie and Lorain counties project additional property-tax revenue in 2025 of about $1.067 million across funds, with approximately $757,466 to the general fund and smaller amounts earmarked for police pension contributions, parks capital, and fire operating and capital funds.

Council members asked whether the additional recurring fire-operating revenue — roughly $200,000 annually as projected — had spending plans. Hendricks and the fire chief discussed options including vehicle replacement or station renovations, and staff said several options remain under consideration.