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| Council to vote on 2009 levy, budget Thursday |
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| Wednesday, 10 September 2008 | |
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Cliff Buchan News Editor After some last minute directives, the Forest Lake City Council is expected to vote on its preliminary tax levy and budget for 2009 at a special meeting tonight (Thursday). City Administrator Chip Robinson has been putting the finishing touches on the tax and spending plan for 2009 since a budget meeting of the council last week. Some wrinkles developed at that meeting and Robinson will bring his final recommendations to the council at 6:30 p.m. tonight. By state law, the council is required to pass its preliminary tax levy by September 15. He will ask for council approval at this meeting to keep that deadline. The big new question mark for Robinson is the council directive issued last week to add $500,000 for city street reconstruction in 2009. “We need to figure out a way to get it done,” Robinson said of the directive issued by Council member Susan Young and supported by council via consensus. Robinson will also report to council tonight on staff positions and rationale for keeping or eliminating the positions. The street department could be hit hard if the budget plan for 2009 turns to staff reductions to provide that extra $500,000 for street work. For tonight’s meeting, the council will make a final determination of filling the heavy equipment operator’s position vacated by retirement earlier this year and the status of two half-time street department slots who also work on park maintenance. A third position in limbo is the fire marshal’s slot that will be vacant by way of a recent resignation. The council has already agreed in principle to additional police department staffing. The 2009 budget includes money for two new police department officers. One of those officers was approved this year at council direction although it was not originally in the 2008 budget. In addition to the staffing, the council is also expected to act on a $10,000 expenditure requested by the park board for a holiday tree that would be used as a decorative piece in the East Broadway Ave. circle at Lakeside Memorial Park. Budget facts The city council will consider a general fund budget package for 2009 that will be in the area of $7.1 million, Robinson said. That is an increase of about 4 percent over the $6.83 million general fund budget for 2008. In terms of the local property tax levy, the new spending package will likely require a city levy of $7.1 million for next year, compared to the $6.8 million levy for property taxes collected in 2008. Robinson said the council action on the preliminary levy and budget originally was slated for a council vote at the regular meeting Monday night, but was pulled from the agenda following the budget work session last Thursday. Once the council sets its preliminary levy, it can be lowered but can not be increased. Final council approval on the budget and tax levy will come in December following public hearings. Social Bookmarking ...       |
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