There was more grim news about Dunkirk’s finances this week.

“We’ll get through the month of March. April will be extremely tight until (property) taxes come in,” said Ellen Luczkowiak, the city’s fiscal affairs officer, at a Common Council Finance Committee meeting Monday.

Luczkowiak is worried enough about the cash flow that she suggested an earlier cutoff date for tax payments. They are normally due the first week of May.

“I wouldn’t want to place stress on people. I just know that presents problems until that comes in,” she said.

Luczkowiak did not provide a cash flow report at the meeting, stating that “there’s a couple things I want to make sure we have correct.” She did email city officials an updated bank balance report, but did not detail it at the meeting.

Luczkowiak noted that the city has bond payments worth $962,562 due on March 15.

The fiscal affairs officer also revealed that Dunkirk has 25 bank accounts between two banks. She wants to put out a Request For Proposals to streamline the accounts with one bank.

Amy Dobek, the city’s newly dubbed clerk/treasurer, was not at the meeting. Luczkowiak said she was getting trained in an accounting software system — noting with some frustration that it is actually the old system, and not the new software purchased by the city. The new system is still in its implementation stage.

The clerk’s office and the treasurer’s office are now essentially combined. “Cash is in one spot and they’re not moving it here and there,” Luczkowiak said.

She acknowledged “it’s taking a little time to get everybody on board” with the combined office. A treasurer employee recently quit; a replacement is being sought.