Catasauqua Borough Manager Glenn Eckhart reported the borough’s general fund had “a very strong year” in 2024.

He noted almost all departments hit their budget.

“Department heads were very diligent in saving money to budget,” Eckhart said, adding that those who did not were due to circumstances outside of internal management control. However, he noted they will focus on those line items for 2025.

According to Eckhart, the 2024 accounts were closed up more quickly than normal due to the change in borough treasurer from Catherine Van Dyne to Deanna Decker. Because of this shift, some expenses that could have gone toward the 2024 accounts will need to be covered in 2025.

Eckhart added, “2024 saw significant change from 2023 and 2022.”

He reported the borough paid off two years’ worth of pension obligations in 2022, a cost of more than $300,000 to Catasauqua taxpayers. Additionally, in 2023, the borough paid off the $1.2 million grant anticipation note for the Iron Works property, as well as hundreds of thousands of dollars of unpaid bills from 2022, he said.

“In 2024, we paid off over $750,000 in sewer plant obligations that were borrowed from sewer operations in 2021 and 2022,” Eckhart reported. “We also cut our per capita tax to zero, saving taxpayers over $30,000.”

He also noted the borough established its first stabilization fund by putting $1,000,000 in an interest-bearing account to be used as a backstop to help protect the borough.

He mentioned they are working to handle payroll and other financial needs without needing to dip into the stabilization fund until April, when the property tax revenue starts coming in.

Eckhart reported the 2024 budget is only the borough’s second balanced budget since 2015, with 2023 also being balanced.