Chester finance committee: February shows $1.1 million favorable variance; city warns Crozer Hospital loss could cost millions

Richard Trautman, Chester’s chief financial officer, told the Finance Committee on April 14 that February 2025 year-to-date results show the city is approximately $1.1 million favorable to the budget after revenues and expenses are considered.

Trautman said the city has about $16,800,000 in operating cash and $15,800,000 in a specialty fund. He reported year-to-date revenues of roughly $9,200,000 — about $100,000 unfavorable to the original budget projection — while expenditures were about $1,200,000 favorable, and the city paid $5,800,000 in bills during February. “So the net result is we’re $1,100,000 favorable to the budgeted negative of 1.1,” Trautman said.

The CFO told the committee that staffing changes are contributing to compensation savings. Trautman said six positions budgeted to be filled remain vacant and have produced approximately $78,000 in compensation savings to date. He cautioned the vacancies are not intended as a long-term plan: “It’s not that I want them to stay vacant because we had an intent as a city that we needed…