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Finance O~ceri <br /> Lund replied yes according to the City's policy. <br /> <br />Mr. Uecker ~ueStioned why the City's 2001 financial report stated that the City had 191 percent <br />in reserves. <br /> <br /> I <br />Finance Offi?r [und explained that the 2001 financial report included all of the City's funds. <br /> <br />Mr. Uecker qtat ~d,d that the City did a grave disservice to their cause by representing the franchise <br />fee in the R~ms$y Resident the way they did because it does not explain what has been cut or <br />where the fui~ds go. <br /> <br />Mayor Gam,~c r~eplied that the explanation would probably take several pages of the Ramsey <br />Resident and[they hoped people would come forward to try and get more information. <br /> <br />Mr. Uecker ~tate~l~ that they need to discuss the spending portion as well. <br /> <br />John Enstrm~, 8702 181st Avenue NW, Ramsey, stated that he commended the City for looking <br />for new way~ to generate revenue, but he personally did not think that franchise fees was the best <br />source of re{enu~. He inquired as to how much revenue the City expected to collect per mile of <br />utility. <br /> <br />Mayor Game¢ explained that the franchise fees will be collected based on a percent of usage. <br /> <br />Councilmem~er Cook explained that the City will be charging 4.5 percent of the usage for <br />electricity ~ gas, which is what the utility companies will pay to the City and it is their <br />responsibilit~ to pass the cost back to their users. <br /> <br />Mr. Enstrom ~tat~d~ that as a taxpayer and a resident he has 1.5 miles of utilities going through his <br />property and'it l~aves his property and goes down a City power line easement, which the City <br />will collect nmn~y for. He questioned why he couldn't collect a fee for the easements on his <br />property. <br /> <br />Mayor Game~ explained that when land is developed there is typically an easement taken for <br />power lines a".nd rfiost of the time people are paid for the easement. <br /> <br />City AttomeY~ Gqodrich explained that the City has authorization from the legislature to collect <br />franchise fee,[which he did not think a private property owner did. <br /> <br />Mark Jotmso~, 17301 Unicom Street NW, Ramsey, stated that the City is saying that they are <br />short on money a/ad yet the Council was voting on giving a $95,000 grant to a local business. In <br />addition ther~ is a sign along Highway #10 that says it is the City of the future, which means the <br />City is lookinl~g a~ expanding. If the City would slow down on the expansion they would not be <br />spending so ~ucli money and having to add so many taxes. The Council is elected to work for <br />the residents ,~ot a~gainst them. He did not move to Ramsey to live in a castle they moved to the <br />area to raise tl~eir i:hildren. <br /> <br />r <br /> <br />City Council/June 24, 2003 <br />Page 12 of 37 <br /> <br /> <br />