Right, Ryan Thompson, city comptroller, presents the 2021 year-end and first-quarter financial reports to the Jamestown City Council Monday. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

For the fifth straight year – and the third over $1 million – the city of Jamestown has finished in the black.

On Monday, Ryan Thompson, city comptroller, presented the 2021 year-end and first-quarter financial reports to the Jamestown City Council during its work session meeting.

Thompson said the city finished last year with a $1.7 million surplus, with most of that excess being due to being $1.2 million over the projected sales tax revenue budget. He said health insurance costs were also down by $1.1 million.

The $1.7 million surplus represents the highest during the five consecutive years of being in the black. In 2019, the city finished the year with a $1.4 million surplus, with 2020 being in excess of $1.1 million.

Thompson said the unassigned fund balance went from $4.6 million at the end of 2020 to $5.7 million at the end of last year. He said the recommendation for municipalities is to have enough savings to pay for two months of city operations. He said the city would need an unassigned fund balance of $6.4 million to accomplish the recommendation.

“We’re headed in the right direction,” he said.

As for the first-quarter of 2022, Thompson said, so far, no big surprises. He said the city has already received 68% of its budget for the year from the new EMS revenues. He said at this rate, the city will be over the revenue budget by $171,000.

As for expenditures, Thompson said the price of gas has impacted the 2022 budget. If the city continues at its current pace it will be $130,000 to $150,000 over its gasoline budget.

For this year, Thompson said the yearly salt budget is in good standing and the city has only used $22,000 of its $350,000 contingency budget.

In other business:

≤ The Third Thursday concert series to be held Thursdays starting May 19 and ending Sept. 19 from 4-10 p.m. in the Winter Garden Plaza on North Main Street was approved by the Public Safety Committee.

≤ The Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30, was approved. The parade will march east on Fourth Street to Washington Street, Cherry Street, Pine Street and Prendergast Avenue. Honorary marshals and city officials will review the parade in the area near Wilson Place and Prendergast Avenue. The parade is scheduled to line up beginning at 9 a.m., with the parade starting at 10 a.m.

≤ The Jamestown Public Market on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting June 11 and ending Oct. 29 was approved. The weekly event will include live music, alcohol sales and tastings, food vendors, food trucks and sales of fresh produce.

≤ The Jamestown Juneteenth Festival from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, June 17, through Sunday, June 19, in Jackson-Taylor Park on Lafayette Street was approved.

≤ Jamestown World Series of Wheels from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at Bergman Park was approved.