OBSERVER Photo by M.J. Stafford Dunkirk Department of Public Works Director Randy Woodbury, right, as Fiscal Affairs Officer Marsha Beach and Treasurer Mark Woods look on during a Tuesday meeting at City Hall.

With City Hall newly decked out for Christmas, Dunkirk’s officials met Tuesday to continue hashing out the 2023 budget.

Alas, Santa and his gift bags were nowhere to be found. There were a few people who wanted new toys, however.

Assessor Erica Munson sought two new computers, to replace ones dating from about 2006. She also asked for an air conditioner for an employee.

“Shoot for the outfield, shoot for a home run,” she reasoned. “If you don’t ask, you can’t get it.”

Marsha Beach, the city’s chief fiscal affairs officer, said Mayor Wilfred Rosas’ travel budget should be raised from its currently proposed $3,000. She and Treasurer Mark Woods stated that could be eaten up quickly if Rosas travels to Albany.

The $3,000 would pay for “a couple trips,” Beach said.

However, travel, air conditioning and new computers are all stocking stuffers compared to the big-ticket items Dunkirk is compelled to to pay for.

Beach pointed out the city always has to pay interest on its notes, and employee benefits are another key expense. Medical insurance will be “up some” for 2023, she noted.

With mandated expenses rising, council members took an interest in revenues.

Nancy Nichols asked why the line for money from residential water sales outside of city limits was so low. She was told that is because the North County Water District now handles most of those customers.

Marty Bamonto wanted to know more about waste revenue. The city’s waste disposal operations were given its own budget section in 2022, a move Bamonto opposed.

Woods, who also opposed the move, said $904,800 in revenue was budgeted for 2022 but the current projection is for about $30,000 less than that.

“Not to beat a dead horse, but we know how the mayor feels, (that) we’re not covering all the expenses” for waste disposal, Beach said.

She later said the waste disposal section “can break even but you’ll never be able to replace equipment.”

There was also discussion about the Boardwalk near the pier, which was also pulled out to its own budget section this year. Beach said that was breaking even.

Nichols flashed some frustration with the upkeep of the site. “It appalls me to see how it got let go like it did,” she said. “Nobody has taken the time to do anything.”

Woods said, “The maintenance was limited mainly because of the amount budgeted.”

Department of Public Works Director Randy Woodbury said his workers added railings. It was a design oversight not to have them originally, he said.

Beach said whether the Boardwalk was its own separate budget line or not, “it doesn’t bring in enough revenue to keep it up how we’d like it.”

City officials will meet one more time about the 2023 budget. At the end of Tuesday’s meeting, Councilman-at-large David Damico asked council members to pick a night next week for more discussions.

Council members Natalie Luczkowiak and James Stoyle were not at Tuesday’s meeting. Luczkowiak had to work, and Stoyle was ill.