The Montesano City Council is touting its recent fiscal success.

Early in 2016, budget woes led to the city laying off two clerks. The city was immediately thrust into a deficit when the unpaid expenses from 2015 were carried over into the new year. Because 2016 was budgeted to end with a zero balance, carrying over expenses meant the city was in an operating deficit.

Mayor Vini Samuel recruited now Chief Financial Officer Doug Streeter who began the unenviable task of balancing the budget. In addition to the lay offs, the city asked its departments to put purchases on hold, including a new police vehicle.

When former community development director Mike Wincewicz retired, the city chose to not fill the position and instead merged those duties with that of the public works director for a cost savings to the city.

The general fund balance at the end of May this year was about $408,000. At the same time in 2015 it was at a little more than $233,000, and in 2016 it was at a dismal $33,488.

“If you take the quick math there, it’s pretty impressive what we’ve been able to accomplish,” Councilman Tyler Trimble said.

Mayor Vini Samuel credited the leadership for the financial rebound.

“That’s a success owned by everybody here and the department heads. I wanted to make sure (the council) hears some good news,” Samuel said.

At the close of the June 13 council meeting, Councilman Dan Wood stressed the importance of the turnaround from the precarious financial position, noting it took the city less than two years to shore up the budget.

“When we started the year, early in 2016, we came to the realization that we were headed for $250,000 in the hole for the general fund — and to be sitting at the end of May at $400,000-plus is nothing short of remarkable,” Wood said. “We’re getting tighter and tighter on managing the dollars. But that kind of swing — a $650,000 swing over 15 months out of a $2.7 million budget — is pretty remarkable.”