West Frankfort finance commissioner disputes mayor’s budget concerns

FOX23 News at 9 p.m

WEST FRANKFORT, Ill., (KBSI) — A city official is disputing claims that West Frankfort is at risk of exceeding its budget for the current fiscal year.

In a statement, Finance Commissioner Keith Howard said the city is not in danger of going over budget for fiscal year 2026, contradicting remarks previously made by Mayor Tim Arview.

Howard said neither he nor the city treasurer provided information suggesting the city could exceed its budget by $8 million.

According to the statement, the city’s total budget for fiscal year 2026 is about $14.8 million. As of March 31, approximately $10.6 million has been spent, leaving about $4.2 million remaining.

The city has also collected about $13.9 million in revenue so far, this fiscal year, Howard said, adding that even without additional revenue in April, the city would remain within budget.

Howard said the figures were pulled directly from the city’s accounting system and budget reports.