Syracuse City reviews Financial Operations budget and payroll modernization plan

Syracuse City finance leaders on a financial operations session reviewed staffing moves, budget line shifts and a timetable to reduce manual payroll entries by integrating timekeeping systems with the city’s payroll platform.

Commissioner of Finance Mike Kinniziere and First Deputy Commissioner of Finance Ann Marie Deagan told the Syracuse City Council’s financial alignment session that the department expects the timekeeping integration to reduce manual keyed payroll entries and to change several activity indicators tied to payroll processing. "That function goes away because of that integration," Deagan said, adding, "I think by the end of the year, we hope that that's up and running."

The discussion focused on why the department is pursuing the change, who would be affected and what the near‑term staffing and budget implications are. The finance office said it issues W‑2s for about 2,500 to 2,600 employees and currently has five dedicated payroll staff who handle keyed entries and related administrative payroll tasks. The department reported roughly 88,000 keyed payroll entries that are attributable to those core payroll staff; the number of departmental payroll aides who compile timesheets and prepare files for payroll is not included in that count.

Deagan described the planned technical integration as ingesting timekeeping data from SWC and Telestaff for sworn Police and Fire staff into the city’s AS/400 payroll system (PeopleSoft is used for requisitions and vouchers). The change is intended to reduce the number of fields that must be manually keyed for each pay, with officials saying that number ideally would fall "to 0," though they acknowledged that outcome is unlikely in every case.

Staffing and budget items discussed included a currently vacant accounts‑payable supervisor position the department plans to fill by promoting a claims examiner; that promotion would increase the number of claims examiner positions requested from one to two while removing one claims examiner 2 slot through promotion. The department reported 22 budgeted positions, with one vacancy. Other personnel moves include shifting an admin assistant to an admin analyst and moving a director role to the Board of Assessment (BOA) budget. Officials described these as largely title and promotion changes intended to preserve internal advancement opportunities.

Officials also reported shifting remaining ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) project balances into the general fund at the end of the prior year, which removed the federal reporting requirement tied specifically to the ARPA fund line item even though some ARPA‑funded commitments remain; the department did not specify the remaining dollar amount. Finance staff said the budget is otherwise "flat," noting a $1,500 change when office supplies were moved to a BOA line.

The department said it is using the city’s API and working with the Department of Public Works (DPW) on a CHIPS reimbursement project to improve interdepartmental processes and maximize claims. Participants said API has been involved in meetings with Finance and DPW and that another meeting was scheduled.

No formal votes or ordinance actions were taken during the session; the meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions. Officials identified a tentative timeline of several months for rollout of the timekeeping integration and said the department expects reduced manual keying as the primary measurable outcome.

Details discussed but not finalized included the final implementation date, the exact dollar amount of remaining ARPA commitments and the precise reduction in manual entries once systems are integrated.