Minutes - Council - 12/12/2006 - Laserfiche WebLink

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proposal there is still a great deal of funding available for professional services. There will not likely be the growth that would require a lot of service from consultants for the type of services they have provided in the past. Councilmember Elvig stated there are several areas in the budget that seem to creep up year after year, most of which is contingencies; if each department adds a contingency within their department by the end of the day it gets to be a very large budget. He would like to look at contingencies applying to the whole budget, rather than each individual department. He has proposed $265,000 in cuts, which would bring the tax capacity rate to 38.7%. Items could be added back into the budget if revenues come in above the projection, but this would be off of the growth instead of at the taxpayers' expense. Councilmember Strommen explained the discussion of the Finance Committee was that staff determine if there is still room to move in the budget. Staff was willing to do that if it is the will of the full Council. It should be noted even with the $265,000 Councilmember Elvig has proposed in cuts the budget and levy would still be increasing, just not to the same extent. Councilmember Olson indicated if there is any possibility that additional cuts can be made to the budget a final look needs to be taken to do justice to the citizens. Councilmember Elvig stated he does not believe the amount he has proposed to be cut will hamstring the City from functioning properly. It is a decrease of an increase; the budget is still being increased. He would like to discuss at a future work session a different process on how the budget is determined. Mayor Gamec stressed the importance of staff being realistic in the cuts that are recommended. Motion by Councilmember Cook, seconded by Councilmember Pearson, to adopt the resolution adopting the 2006, payable 2007 municipal tax levy, and to adopt the resolution adopting the 2007 City of Ramsey General Fund Operating Budget. Motion failed. Voting Yes: Mayor Gamec, Councilmembers Cook and Pearson. V oting No: Councilmembers Elvig, Jeffrey, Olson, and Strommen. Consensus of the Council was to direct staff to schedule a meeting to consider the 2007 tax levy and general fund budget for December 21,2006 at 5:30 p.m. Motion by Councilmember Elvig, seconded by Councilmember Jeffrey, to table the 2007 tax levy and general fund budget to the December 21, 2006 special meeting. Motion carried. Voting Yes: Mayor Gamec, Councilmembers Elvig, Jeffrey, Cook, Olson, Pearson, and Strommen. Voting No: None. MAYOR, COUNCIL AND STAFF INPUT Mayor Gamec announced the following: · City Hall dedication and open house is scheduled for December 20, 2006 at 3 :30 p.m. with the dedication ceremony at 6:00 p.m. City Council / December 12, 2006 Page 28 of 29