[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6047071,"mediaKeyId","3539010-066844e93cb85969824bc6e763b2bc79","parentId",3539010,"title","City treasurer pitches FY2026 budget; pension health, DBE investment and community outreach highlighted","audioSeconds",2644,"startMs",1846000,"endMs",4490000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3539010-066844e93cb85969824bc6e763b2bc79&start=1846&end=4490","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3539010-066844e93cb85969824bc6e763b2bc79/thumbnail_1846000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6047071/Wilmington-City/New-Castle-County/Delaware/City-treasurer-pitches-FY2026-budget-pension-health-DBE-investment-and-community-outreach-highlighted","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047071-606607eed40d82ff4214061a01c5d83b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161078&Signature=Lt4~SthTyOoTk7JIpNYFGTXAc3~6K82tvoc1iyZrB~RvEDfG3Xz93TIpO-~6MXFUhbXk5Ryrz48vgkXpg6ze69huzFzNxiRRWEqrIaJRz6r9UoRY2i1GOY3lP7bozOHhyiwJWR4Wt5b-3yjjHpQcKJy0fvHKC3b4WBuRkBvmAw7RHNXYbBOsVUFdlheK8jZwoaA6j-jljiCTx-h6K7Cv9kLQhV9hKTkiu~in2VazVdK~W6UpmH0~dEmRwQhf0WG1RGCfLAvSC-EmHzI9KIP96a2d2VvwZvOE64BKC4BMLPIgCPDu6v34uaLcd3zD-vLILMLU5Gn24uZ7DfrcDI4YEg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Wilmington, DE","date","2025-04-17T00:00:00Z","article","The Wilmington Finance Committee heard the Treasurer’s proposed FY2026 budget and questioned officials about pension funding, retiree benefits and professional services at a budget hearing Wednesday.

OMB fiscal analyst Mr. Jones told the committee the treasurer’s office is requesting $7.3 million in total, with pension funds representing about 93% of that total and the general fund portion at $523,700 (an increase of roughly $55,000). Jones said the increase in the general fund primarily supports personal services adjustments, modest increases in community services funding and travel for training.

City Treasurer Sims framed the office’s priorities as “integrity and compliance, collaborative partnerships, strong governance, and of course, stalwart commitment to community.” On the pensions, Sims said the city’s pension plans were “on target” to meet actuarially determined contributions and that preliminary valuations as of 07/01/2024 show the plans are about 84% funded. Sims reported an estimated unfunded liability — market value basis — of about $286,000,000 and said, assuming a 7.2% discount rate, the plans would reach full funding by fiscal year 2032.

The committee sought clarity on cost-of-living adjustments for retirees. Sims said the pension commission — a 13-member body the treasurer chairs under city code 39-6 — is the mechanism to consider COLAs and that the commission “has not made a recommendation, specific to COLA increases to the administration over the last 10 years.” Sims and council members discussed that the commission meets annually to review pension health, and any recommendation requires a majority vote of commissioners.

Sims and Jones detailed other budget items: a $250,000 increase to the pension health care fund’s actuarial target (bringing that line to $5,250,000 for FY2026); a $1,000,000 professional services appropriation to cover advisory, OCIO and investment management fees; and $25,000 for community services funding to support sponsorships and outreach. Sims highlighted that the administration has worked to increase MWBE/DBE participation in investment management and reported that 63.2% of plan assets (approximately $193 million) are managed by MWBE firms, a 3.5% increase year over year.

Council members asked for further detail on vendor contracts, use of the professional services budget and the timeline and mechanics for delivering pension statements and retiree information. Sims said pension statements for calendar year 2024 were in progress and expected to be delivered by the summer, and that professional services budgets can fluctuate with portfolio size and anticipated activity (for example, bond or debt transactions).

Committee members also asked about the mechanics of retiree medical funding and whether the city has a routine COLA practice; Sims said there is no automatic COLA mechanism in the budget and that decisions about COLAs are handled by the pension commission under the city code. The treasurer told the committee he plans continued engagement with council and the administration on pension issues.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Wilmington FY2026 Budget Hearings | City Treasurer | 4/16/2025","oneSentenceSummary","City Treasurer Sims and OMB staff presented the proposed FY2026 treasurer’s office budget to the Finance Committee, emphasizing pension fund performance, a plan to increase retiree medical funding, commitments to MWBE/DBE asset managers and modest increases for community outreach and professional services.","taxTitle","Wilmington City, New Castle County, Delaware","taxId",12638,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6047076,"Finance committee advances EMS ambulance budget amendment after Trinity Health exit",722,714000,1436000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3539010-066844e93cb85969824bc6e763b2bc79&start=714&end=1436","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3539010-066844e93cb85969824bc6e763b2bc79/thumbnail_714000.jpg","/articles/6047076/Wilmington-City/New-Castle-County/Delaware/Finance-committee-advances-EMS-ambulance-budget-amendment-after-Trinity-Health-exit","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6047076-f5859d21f8a7b7a04c231c47ca394dce/orig.mp4?Expires=1771161078&Signature=iuWrH3Vxfls9O0x4P1RxWMDwNme~QELsNcVS0secPyQg-YEHNa3CqKjU3qc-l7dc8yww8u4qUBo9uRC81I9b4vj8AbJYXrIFLl011lFl6U4ieiWjmk9RS3zm39FDu8~cxG-m8CVRRLAGXShMIsYEsazi682CnzaohIBBmP81DoFnf5nrds59xYwf08celsQ5QCwW7-X~36WjT7rVDz5TPZgr-gtVrHBCN07dZEJ-EcFddYd-lKfu4UT6z1qeKlMwtgyNxhsUTRs9eAfZF8ZdN8YJplSIks5f4KSjhjY5mPzqgVIvw4ROuicPm6Rj4aZuf7i0oUy84T2K-79HI~SklQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Wilmington Finance Committee on Wednesday advanced Ordinance 25-011, an amendment to the FY2025 operating budget to fund the city’s planned takeover of ambulance services after Trinity Health notified the city it would end its contract with Saint Francis Hospital.

Deputy Chief of Staff Stephanie Mergler told the committee that “Trinity Health, which is the parent company of Saint Francis Hospital, informed the city in February that they will no longer be able to provide ambulance service, as of 06/28/2025.” The administration said the city’s planned response is to move EMS into the Fire Department and staff ambulances with city firefighters certified as emergency medical technicians.

Rob Winkler of the budget office summarized the amendment’s financial mechanics: $679,000 of unused funds from the now-terminated Saint Francis contract would be reprogrammed to cover EMS startup costs “so there’s no overall increase in the FY2025 budget” because the money is already appropriated. The largest single reallocation — $513,000 — would go to personal services in the Fire Department to increase authorized strength by 30 positions. Winkler explained those personnel costs reflect roughly two months of salary and benefits, covering the remainder of FY2025.

Chief Looney described operational plans: hiring 30 firefighter–EMTs to begin training in the department’s academy, which “will commence on 05/05/2025,” with the goal of staffing five ambulances around the clock by late summer. “Hiring of the additional personnel enables us to staff a total of 5 ambulances working 24, 7 days a week in service, completely in service by late summer,” he said. The administration said five ambulances represent an increase from the Trinity Health contract, which provided four full-time ambulances and a fifth on a 12-hour “power shift.”

Other line items in the amendment include $5,000 to upgrade an existing lieutenant position to a battalion chief for EMS and special operations, $22,000 for a civilian EMS manager to handle insurance billing, and $166,000 in MS&E within Information Technology for radios, laptops and tablets.

Committee members questioned staffing details and deployment. Council member Cabrera asked whether five units matched prior capacity; Chief Looney replied it is an increase from the previous contract and that “through our own research, historical data, we feel that 5 ambulance is suitable to provide the service.” Council members also confirmed that fire engines will continue to respond to some medical calls in addition to the new ambulances.

After discussion, the committee accepted a motion to move Ordinance 25-011 out of committee for a full council vote at the April 17 council meeting. The motion was moved and seconded and carried by voice vote; committee members voiced “aye” and no nays were recorded on the transcript.

The ordinance will appear on the full Wilmington City Council agenda on April 17 for final action.","The Wilmington Finance Committee voted to send Ordinance 25-011 — an amendment to the FY2025 operating budget to fund the city’s immediate takeover of ambulance service — to full council after presentations from administration and the fire chief outlining staffing, equipment and short-term costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City treasurer pitches FY2026 budget; pension health, DBE investment and community outreach highlighted

Finance committee advances EMS ambulance budget amendment after Trinity Health exit