By Brian Hubert
Daily Freeman
KINGSTON, N.Y. 鈥� The Kingston Fire Department鈥檚 ambulance service is on track to take in more than $1 million in ambulance insurance payments this year, more than five times the reimbursements the city received in 2024.
City Comptroller John Tuey told the Common Council鈥檚 Finance and Audit Committee during his budget update Wednesday, April 9, that through the first quarter of the year, the service has taken in $260,000 in insurance payments since the start of the year. He added that he expects the city to bring in $1.1 million by the end of the year.
鈥淲e鈥檙e relatively on target with ambulance revenue,鈥� Tuey said.
Mayor Steve Noble estimated in April 2024 that ambulance insurance payments could bring in $1.1 million for the city. The city has taken in a total of $460,000 in insurance payments for the ambulance service since billing began last year.
Tuey said he credits the growing billing revenues to improved processes that are ensuring paperwork is fully completed properly. He said regular pay in the ambulance division is tracking well under budget so far, equaling 17.8% of the budget through a quarter of the year.
He added, however, that there is more budget pressure in overtime, which is at 96% of the amount budgeted for the period. Tuey said he expects that pressure to be relieved as new hires complete training and become available for calls.
鈥淲e expect overtime to go down,鈥� he added.
Tuey warned lawmakers a budget transfer may be required to cover the overtime, but also said that, right now, he expects most of it to be covered by regular pay.
Turning to the regular budget, Tuey said the city has spent just under 24% of the budget through the first quarter of the year. 鈥淲e are tracking pretty well compared to budget,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e only have $200,000 in contingency, so we鈥檒l have to keep a close eye on that.鈥�
Sales tax revenue is up just over 2% through February and appears to be tracking back to historical yearly growth rates of 2 to 4% after several years of rapid growth, according to Tuey.
鈥淚t鈥檚 positive news,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a big influx, but it鈥檚 positive.鈥�
Tuey also said the city has had to make a 鈥済ood dip鈥� into the city鈥檚 fund balance and that could 鈥減ut strain on next year鈥檚 budget.鈥� The percentage of the fund balance is now within the middle of the policy as set by the city, he added.
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