Main Street Delaware executive director Frances-Jo Hamilton on Nov. 28 told Delaware City Council her organization “lived moment to moment” in 2011 but will end the year with a balanced budget.

The non-profit dedicated to revitalizing Downtown Delaware hopes to have a 2012 year-end surplus of $20,000, she said.

Hamilton shared the results of her organization’s annual business plan with the council. Highlights included:

• Increasing Downtown merchants’ roles and investment in promoting Downtown through Main Street Delaware participation.

At year’s end, 85 percent of the downtown businesses were participate in the organization through membership, in-kind donations, advertising, and volunteering for and staying open later for special events such as First Fridays.

• Raised $68,117 in memberships, contributions, sponsorships and event income.

• Recruited 500 hours a month in volunteer time for a monetary value of nearly $112,000.

• Secured a grant of $10,000 from Ohio Wesleyan University for printing.

Last year, Main Street Delaware received $10,000 from the city and $5,000 from Dela-ware County.

For 2012, city council has pledged $15,000 and MSD has petitioned the county commissioners for $10,000.

“I can’t tell you how important that $10,000 was last year or how important the $15,000 will be in 2012,” Hamilton told council.

She told ThisWeek, “The thing about some of our grants is they have to be used for a specific purpose. Last, year we received $5,000 from the Hiram Masonic Lodge for holiday celebrations, for instance.

“But the money we get from city council and the county can be used for whatever we need, to pay our electric bill or our Internet bill or what have you. It gives us so much more flexibility.”

Hamilton said she is particularly proud of what her organization does on a limited budget.

“There are 31 Main Street organizations in Ohio and the average budget for one in a city of our size is $128,000. Ours is between $80,000 and $90,000,” she said.

“The average salary for an executive director is $51,500; ours is $40,000.”

The second half of 2011 was a special challenge for MSD, Hamilton said.

“We fell on pretty hard financial times. We had a two-month gap without any sort of income because our primary fundraiser was postponed from the end of the summer to the middle of the fall,” she said. “That rejustification had us really struggling. So I was happy to report we’d be back in the black by the end of the year.”

Main Street Delaware is preparing for one of its busiest times of the year: Christmas.

Hamilton said Main Street Delaware started the season with a First Friday event from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2.

The evening featured a tree lighting, free horse-drawn carriage rides and an appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Claus at Santa’s House, 37 N. Sandusky St.

“Mr. and Mrs. Claus have been gracious enough to donate their time all throughout December,” Hamilton said. “Santas can be really expensive to hire and they’re never as good as the ones who really want to do it.”

Santa’s House will be open Fridays in December from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. through the afternoon of Dec. 23.

First Fridays also will included roving carolers, a jazz band playing holiday music and volunteers passing out hot chocolate, Hamilton said.