The Hellertown Borough Council convened Sept. 5 to discuss various matters, with the annual audit of its 2022 financial statements taking center stage.

Deborah Bacon, a certified public accountant from Zelenkofske Axelrod LLC, explained the report via Zoom. She commended the borough’s impeccable bookkeeping, noting that she found no errors in the audit.

Bacon further shared several notable financial insights, revealing that total revenues had decreased from 2021 by $521,000. This decline was mostly due to a $661,000 reduction in intergovernmental revenue, she said.

Meanwhile, increases in expenditures were noted in various sectors. Public Safety expenses saw a considerable uptick of $749,000, while Public Works’ share rose by $265,000. More money was spent on Culture and Recreation as well, amounting to $329,000.

Bacon also highlighted the borough’s recently maligned Police Pension Trust Fund, as its net position fell by $1.287 million, partly attributed to an investment loss.

However, amid these challenges, the council received some positive news from the audit. General Fund actual revenues exceeded the budget by $334,000, while General Fund actual expenditures remained under budget by $144,000, Bacon said.

In addition, Special Revenue Funds, aside from the American Rescue Plan Act Fund, demonstrated excess revenues over expenses, albeit falling short of the budget by $57,000.

Ultimately, while the overall net position of the borough took a considerable hit, declining by over $2 million, borough Manager Cathy Hartranft provided context on the substantial decrease, attributing it to extensive spending on grant projects. She assured that Hellertown’s 2023 and 2024 financial statements would reflect reimbursements for these projects.

In other announcements, Council President Thomas Rieger announced a series of upcoming meetings beginning on Oct. 2 to formulate the 2024 borough budget. Each will address particular departments and topics, including Police, Fire, Public Works, Parks, Administration, Revenue, Insurance and Capital. A proposed budget will be presented Nov. 6, with the final version slated for approval during the Council meeting Dec. 4, Rieger added.

On a more festive note, Mayor David Heintzelman reminded the community of the upcoming Oct. 22 Halloween parade, followed by an after-party at Dimmick Park for the second consecutive year. He called on community members to contribute monetary donations to the event by “funding the hot dogs.” which the First United Church of Christ has volunteered to prepare at the party.

Parade applications are still being accepted and can be found on Facebook and at Borough Hall. Rieger also announced that Trick-or-Treat will be on Halloween evening, Oct. 31, from 6 to 8 p.m.