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CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION <br />CITY OF RAMSEY <br />ANOKA COUNTY <br />STATE OF MINNESOTA <br /> <br />The Ramsey City Council conducted a City Council Work Session on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, <br />at the Ramsey Municipal Center, 7550 Sunwood Drive NW, Ramsey, Minnesota. <br /> <br />Members Present: Mayor Ryan Heineman <br /> Councilmember Kirsten Buscher <br /> Councilmember Michael Olson <br /> Councilmember Chris Riley <br /> Councilmember Dan Specht <br /> Councilmember Shanna Stewart <br /> <br />Members Absent: Councilmember Eric Peters <br /> <br />Also Present: City Administrator Brian Hagen <br /> Finance Director Diana Lund <br /> Fire Chief Andy Winkel <br /> Administrative Services Director Colleen Lasher <br /> City Attorney Amanda Johnson <br /> <br />1. CALL TO ORDER <br /> <br />Mayor Heineman called the City Council Work Session to order at 5:30 p.m. <br /> <br />2.01: Continued Review of Preliminary 2027 General Fund Budget/Levy <br /> <br />Finance Director Lund reviewed the final budget item requiring Council direction before <br />preliminary adoption of the 2027 General Fund budget and levy on September 22, 2026. She <br />explained that the proposed budget reflected a 6.13% levy increase but did not include the <br />estimated cost of water used by the new splash pad. Based on approximately 17 million gallons of <br />seasonal use and the current tiered utility rate, the annual charge was estimated at $95,000. She <br />requested direction on whether the Parks Department should be billed at the regular tiered rate, a <br />special reduced rate, or no rate. <br /> <br />Councilmember Riley asked whether the City was required to charge for water and what benefit <br />would result from doing so. <br /> <br />Finance Director Lund explained that approximately 50% to 60% of City residents are utility <br />customers. If the General Fund did not reimburse the Water Fund, water utility customers would <br />bear the cost through enterprise-fund rates. Charging the Parks Department would shift the expense <br />to the General Fund and distribute it across the entire City tax base. She noted the Council could <br />establish a special splash-pad rate and estimated that $2 per 1,000 gallons would generate about <br />$35,000. <br />City Council Work Session / August 25, 2026 <br />Page 1 of 7 <br />