OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford Dunkirk Treasurer Mark Woods, Fiscal Affairs Officer Ellen Luczkowiak, and Councilpersons James Stoyle and Nancy Nichols sit at a Dunkirk Common Council Finance Committee meeting.

With expenses continuing to run ahead of revenues, there was some optimistic news for once at a Dunkirk Common Council’s Finance Committee meeting.

For the first time in memory, Treasurer Mark Woods freely handed out a financial report to members of the public, without anyone needing to ask. The report showed a city bank balance of exactly $493,548.26 as of July 31.

However, the bulk of city revenues received in July came from a $13,683,503 loan by the state. The revenues in the report were broken down by line item — but “disbursements,” aka expenses, were not.

“From the standpoint of spending, I think the departments are doing a fantastic job,” said Fiscal Affairs Officer Ellen Luczkowiak. “For the first time since I’ve been here, revenues are exceeding expenses. It doesn’t preclude our debt, but it’s a good pattern of behavior.”

Luczkowiak said she and Mayor Kate Wdowiasz are already working with department heads on their 2026 budget requests, to see what can be trimmed.

Prompted by Councilwoman Nancy Nichols, Woods stated that the city has paid off the Revenue Anticipation Note it took out last year.

Luczkowiak went on to add that a much-awaited audit of the city’s 2024 finances is underway.

“Auditors have been here a couple times already and we hope to have that finished ahead of schedule,” she said. The audit’s completion was originally expected sometime in September.

Woods said the city should get “close to a million” dollars in county sales tax allocation by week’s end.

His financial report showed a $1 million money transfer. “Whatever revenue we’ve had (that is) not immediately available, goes into the money market,” Woods said.

As the 25-minute meeting ended Thursday morning, city officials including Wdowiasz expressed a desire to simplify and consolidate salary data that goes into the budget.

“With things split out the way they are now, it’s impossible to see what’s going on,” said Councilman-at-Large Nick Weiser, the Finance Committee’s chairman. Changes “would make the budget process much cleaner.”