Minutes - Council - 09/26/2023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Kuzma, Councilmembers Woestehoff, Riley, Howell, Musgrove, Olson, and Specht. Voting No: None. 7. COUNCIL BUSINESS 7.01: Adopt Resolution 23-228 Adopting Proposed 2024 Payable Tax Levies (General, Pavement Management, EDA and Debt Service) & Schedule Public Hearing for December 12, 2023; Adopt Resolution #23-229 Adopting Proposed 2024 General Fund Budget and Resolution #23-230 Adopting Proposed 2024 EDA Budget. Finance Director Lund reviewed the Staff report in regard to the proposed 2024 tax levies and general fund budget. She stated that all amounts are strictly estimates. Mayor Kuzma shared that the Council would like to vote on each item separately. Councilmember Specht thanked Staff for their work on the budget. He shared that this has been worked out during multiple meetings since July. He noted that in a growing City with increasing infrastructure needs there are costs that the City needs to pay for which is why there is an increase. Councilmember Riley reiterated that the Council has spent months talking about this budget. He noted that they started with the idea of a flat budget for all of the expenses; however, as they have gone through this they made a cost of living increase as well as determined what the City actually needs. He stated that everyone is well aware that the streets are a top priority that the City has fallen behind on. He noted that they are adding street staff and capital expenditures in response to this. He stated that he will be supporting the budget. Councilmember Woestehoff thanked Staff again for their work on this and helping the Council understand these numbers. He noted that although the budget is now over $20,000,000,the impact on residents is very small. He added that this has to do with the fact that the City has added so many new houses in the past years and these houses are now coming onto the tax rolls. He explained that the addition of both residential and commercial development has lessened the tax impact on the rest of the City. Councilmember Howell stated that she will not be supporting the tax levy. She noted that she will be supporting the EDA budget as she is very supportive of the training that Staff needs. She shared concerns that the City is funding recreational programming as she does not see this as a necessity as it competes with the private sector. She noted that because of the increased cost of living that everyone is feeling, she feels as though the least the City could do is cut some things that are not necessities. Motion by Councilmember Howell, seconded by Councilmember Woestehoff, to Adopt Resolution 423-228 Approving the Proposed 2023, Payable 2024 Tax Levy in the amount of $20,279,701 and to schedule the City of Ramsey's budget/levy public meeting on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. City Council/ September 26, 2023 Page 9 of 16