Kafferlin Strategies is expected to present a financial outlook to Lansford Borough Council next month.

The borough hired the consulting firm for the state’s Strategic Management Planning Program with a $79,550 matching grant through the state Department of Community and Economic Development.

Kafferlin will be looking at the borough’s overall operations, including a financial condition assessment and financial trend analysis.

Earlier this month, the firm presented an intermediate step to get everyone on board ahead of their financial assessment, but council lacked a quorum for its monthly meeting.

The firm presented it to two council members and will be presenting that portion, a step zero, again, along with a financial outlook, or first step, in September.

This week, representatives from Kafferlin interviewed all borough council members and the mayor with a preset list of questions pertaining to the borough’s operations, said Council President Joe Genits.

They wanted to know what elected officials wished to see improved, looking at clerical staff support, budget preparation, agenda preparation and overall operations, he said.

Kafferlin will also be working on training with borough secretary, Ashley McLaughlin, on treasurer duties since the departure of borough treasurer, Maria Ahner, Genits said. She will also get assistance in improving the secretarial duties, he said.

Genits also asked Kafferlin to reach out to Nicole Beckett at the Robert B. and Helen S. Meyner Center at Lafayette College, who did an initial operational assessment earlier this year, to assist with overall operation and council issues.

Genits also asked for help from the consultants on researching grants that the borough could apply for to make improvements, he said.

The upcoming financial assessment and financial trend analysis will look back on up to five years of the borough’s financial data and provide a forward look as well.

The firm’s assessment of the borough’s financial position will provide the foundation for planning, budgeting and long-range decision making, according to information supplied by the firm.

The forward-looking projection will look at where the borough is headed financially in the future, Ben Kafferlin, managing partner, said in his August presentation.

That projection will include a crash point, or crash date, if the trend isn’t good, he said.

“Is that one year from now or five years from now? We’re going to basically give you a date,” he said.

In October, the firm will do a management review, which will give the borough more specific recommendations, such as setting up funds, needed transfers or hires, Kafferlin said.

The firm will also give the borough recommendations for its 2027 budget, since it’s looking at financial data, he said.

Council has set up budget planning/preparation meetings twice a month for the next three months to review the budget starting in September.

Council hopes to pass a tentative budget Dec. 9.