Loma Linda Budget is in the Black, For Now

Conservative spending kept Loma Linda out of the red budget-wise, at least for now, officials said during the most recent City Council meeting.

The city has come out ahead by $142,900, according to a mid-fiscal year budget report.

At the start of the fiscal year, the city has $7,739,032. As of Feb. 22, the available funds totaled $7,881,932 or roughly $3.13 million in available funds, $3.5 million in the “Rainy Day Reserve” and $1,250,000 in and equipment reserve fund, according to a staff report.

“But don’t go out and party yet. It’s way tight,” said T. Jarb Thaipejr, Loma Linda’s city manager. “We still have expenditures.”

The cost of the flood damage of Dec. 22 was still pending, city officials said. That may cost about $1.3 million.

The federal government will pay up to 75 percent of the cost to the city, Debra Kreske, emergency services coordinator with Loma Linda Fire Department said last month. Funding through the county will pay for a portion of the remaining amount, Kreske said.

That leaves the city to pay roughly $48,000, leaving the city $58,900 in the black.

“That’s pretty tight budgeting,” said Mayor Rhodes Rigsby.

“It is tight,” Thaipejr said.

The city did see expenditures rise in a few categories, including the number of overtime hours for the fire department because of workman’s compensation fees and overtime due to mutual aid responses. Revenues also are expected to increase by $70,800 from vehicle licensing fees. But the cutting of staff positions, implementation of furloughs and the reduction of staff salaries saved the city from deficit, according to city staffers.

“So it looks like we need to do a collective pat on our backs for doing well this year so far,” Rigsby said.