Much lower expenses than anticipated helps city's Motorcycle Week bottom line creep over $55,000

LACONIA — Although the city has yet to close the books on the 88th running of Motorcycle Week, City Manager Scott Myers said yesterday that revenues are expected to exceed expenses by as much as $57,000.

The cost of municipal services provided during Motorcycle Week are not appropriated from the general fund, but instead are defrayed by a special revenue fund consisting of the proceeds from licensing itinerant vendors, renting city property and reviewing site plans, as well as fees taken at the photo tower and bike show.

For the 2011 rally, revenues were projected at $169,500, with licensing fees representing the lion's share of $130,000, and expenses were budgeted at $171, 220. Myers said that while revenues met projections, actual expenses of $113,000 appear well under budget. With smaller crowds and lighter traffic, personnel costs were less than expected. In particular, the actual costs for out-of-town police and police overtime fell short of the $100,000 budgeted.

Any surplus from Motorcycle Week is assigned to a dedicated account to be applied to expenses associated with the rally. In 2010 and again this year the funds have supplemented the cost of cruisers for the Police Department.