Finance Department

The Finance Department is committed to providing financial management, transparency, and accountability for the City. The finance team works diligently to ensure the financial stability and well-being of Coatesville by responsibly managing the city’s finances.

Hours of Operation

Monday – Friday – 8:30 am to 4:00 pm, closed for lunch 12:30 – 1:30pm

Finance Department – 610-384-0300

Finance Staff

The Finance Department is committed to providing financial management, transparency, and accountability for the City. The finance team works diligently to ensure the financial stability and well-being of Coatesville by responsibly managing the city’s finances.

Jessica ArthurFinance Manager
Phone: (610)-384-0300
Contact for questions regarding: budget, financial reports, grants, federal and state reports
Leslie DensonBookkeeper
Phone: (610)-384-0300
Contact for questions regarding: accounts payable, tax questions

Tax and Solid Waste Certified Payoff Statements

Every property owner intending to sell or transfer property should make sure their settlement company has obtained Certified Payoff Statements for all unpaid years. Buyers should make sure unpaid Real Estate and Solid Waste Fees are addressed at closing since buyers are responsible for unpaid back taxes and solid waste fees. The City does not provide Payoff Statements. These are provided by the entities that collect taxes and solid waste fees on behalf of the City. For properties transferred in the first few months of a year, extra care should be taken to make sure both the current year and the prior year are accounted for. At the beginning of each year the entity collecting on behalf of the City may change as current year amounts are transferred for delinquent collection.

Keystone Collections:

For Paying Current Year Only (Both real estate taxes and solid waste fees)

Hours of Operation: 8:30 until 4:00 pm
Phone Number: (724) 978-0300
For assistance in Spanish, please call: (724) 978-2866

Website: https://keystonecollects.com/pay-file/


Portnoff Collections:

Pay for Prior Years (Solid waste only)

Hours of Operation: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am until 5:00 pm
Phone Number: 866-211-9466
Website: https://www.portnoffonline.com/payments/


Chester County Tax Claim Bureau:

Pay for Prior years (Real estate taxes only)

Hours of Operation: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Phone Number: (610) 344-6360
Website: https://www.chesco.org/164/Online-Payments

Finance Department Services

One of our primary roles is maintaining accurate and up-to-date financial records. We carefully manage and organize the city’s financial information, keeping track of revenue, expenditures, assets, and liabilities. By doing so, we ensure transparency and accountability in all financial transactions.

The finance department is responsible for handling billing and collecting taxes for the City. This includes property taxes, local income taxes, and various assessments. Our objective is to efficiently and accurately assess and collect these taxes, as they provide the necessary funds to support essential city services and initiatives.

We take charge of cash management, which involves monitoring and forecasting the city’s cash flow. Our goal is to ensure that funds are available when needed, allowing us to support crucial services and operations effectively. By making strategic decisions about cash inflows and outflows, we aim to optimize the city’s financial resources and maintain fiscal stability.

As part of the budgeting process, we work closely with city departments to develop the annual budget for City Council’s approval consistent with the PA 3rd Class City Code. Periodically, we also create and maintain multi-year strategic plans to help ensure today’s decisions affecting future years are affordable. Monthly financial statements are prepared to monitor cash balances, revenues and expenditures. The budget process occurs from October through December, and includes public sessions to ask questions as well as time to review the final proposed budget before City Council approves it. Dates and times are advertised and posted on this website.

Preliminary Dates for Budgeting and Forecasting:

 

 

10/9 – Present proposed Preliminary Budget (Monday)

10/9 – Council authorize advertising of special meetings and sessions (Monday)

10/11 – Legal Notice published of special meetings and work sessions (Wednesday)

10/25 – Budget work session #1 – 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (Wednesday)

11/1 – Budget work session #2 – 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (if needed) (Wednesday)

11/8 – Budget work session #3 – 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (if needed) (Wednesday)

11/13 – Preliminary budget – 1st reading, authorizes advertising (Monday)

11/15 – Legal notice – budget available for public inspection (Wednesday)

12/4 – Public hearing – 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (Monday)

12/11 – Adoption of Budget, Tax and Compensation Ordinances (Monday)

 

Handling the processing of payments for goods and services received by the city is another crucial aspect of our finance department. We ensure that vendors and suppliers are paid accurately and on time, maintaining positive working relationships and supporting the smooth operation of city departments.

The City has established extensive processes and procedures to ensure fiscal accountability, following Generally Accepted Accounting Procedures.. Several types of audits and monitoring reviews are conducted by Federal, Commonwealth and County agencies to assess compliance with financial policies and regulations. Additionally, the City and the Redevelopment Authority have an annual independent audit conducted to ensure financial integrity and transparency.  The results of these audits are submitted to multiple governmental agencies, reported publicly to City Council, and posted on this Website.

Request Trash and Recycling Totes

To assist residents in their recycling efforts, recycling totes can be easily requested through our finance department. We encourage you to reach out to the City of Coatesville directly at 610-384-0300. Owners of properties are required to use either a dumpster service or totes for solid waste and recycling pickup, depending on City Ordinance criteria. City ordinances require standardized totes and therefore all totes are obtained through the Finance Department in City Hall. For those owners or residents responsible to replace waste or recycling totes, the following forms should be utilized. These forms are available at City Hall as well. Once completed, the forms should be turned into the finance department with payment.

Owners may purchase repair lid kits or repair wheel kits. The care and pickup of totes and repair kits are the responsibility of the owner; however, the Finance Department will work with Public Works to deliver the tote(s) purchased, or the requested repair kit parts. Currently, the cost for totes or the repair kits can be determined by viewing the fee schedule.

Please note that requests to purchase additional sets of totes beyond the individual set of totes required for each unit requires the owners signature since an additional annual hauling fee is required. For the year of purchase the fee is due at the time of purchasing the totes, with subsequent years being included in the annual real estate/solid waste invoice.

For those owners who recently purchased a property requiring totes, you should expect the seller to have left a set (or for landlords a set for each unit). If none were left, the buyer is responsible for purchasing totes.

Owners with over three units in a single dwelling are required to contract directly with a private hauler. If there is insufficient space for dumpsters, owners are requested to contact the Finance Department to discuss alternatives.

All owners are strongly encouraged to purchase stick-on numbers and letters to personalize the totes for their address/unit number.

Our team will be happy to assist you and provide you with the necessary information to facilitate proper waste disposal and recycling in your area. Together, we can contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable Coatesville.

Payment for Trash and Recycling Totes

To make a payment for trash/recycling totes or special events permits, please contact our finance department and request instructions at 610-384-0300. For additional information on trash and recycling totes, view our public works department here.