Posted: 8/27/03

FL Council eyes full levy use for 2004 taxes

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

The Forest Lake City Council Monday night set the maximum proposed tax levy for 2004.

The levy, at $3,972,062, is about $200,000 higher than last year. It is the figure which needs to be certified to Washington County by Monday, Sept. 15. However, the council will not adopt the final levy for 2004 until after the Truth in Taxation meetings.

That levy will be equal to or less than the amount approved Monday. A reducation in state aid to the cities for 2004 is a factor in the plan to boost the proposed tax levy.

The council set the Truth in Taxation meetings for 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1 and 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, prior to the regular council meeting. The council plans to adopt the budget at its Dec. 8 meeting.

Gateway green

The council approved the preliminary plat for Gateway Green, a 20 and five acre plat located on the cityís west side, off of Everton Avenue, south of the Everton Park car dealerships.

Since council members Susan Young and John Tom Lynch were absent, the council had to delay voting on rezoning and the comprehensive plan amendment. Those decisions require a 4/5 vote by the council.

Gateway Green is a multi use property with about 227 units including condominiums, villas, row houses, cluster units, assisted living, a day care center and office space.

Parks, located within, would be open to the public but privately owned and maintained.

Jon Whitcomb is heading the project.

ìIt has been a long process, it has been many months waiting to get in front of you,î Whitcomb told the council.

Whitcomb, his colleagues and city staff have yet to work out details such as width of living areas, number of units and other issues.

Linda Juelich, who lives near the proposed development, said she has concerns.

She questioned how snow removal will be handled on the narrow streets, the possible problems of having just one entrance and exit to the area and added traffic on the W. Broadway bridge over I-35.

2 a.m. bar closing

The 2 a.m. bar closing again was at issue during the city council meeting.

Upperdeck and Players Beach Club owner Bo Bogotty is pushing for the 2 a.m. closing, saying businesses here are losing revenue to establishments in neighboring towns which permit the 2 a.m. closing.

Councilman Rick Ashbach said, with a new police chief set to take office this winter, the decision should be postponed.

ìIím not opposed to a 2 a.m. bar closing providing the dollars are there,î he said.

Ashbach said it was up to the new chief to determine staffing issues and if the funds were there to keep officers on the street an additional hour.

The council approved tabling the issue to the first quarter of 2004.

Meetings

The Forest Lake City Council regularly meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month in the city council chambers. The next regularly scheduled meeting is Monday, Sept. 8.

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