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| FL Council OK's preliminary tax levy, budget for 2009 |
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| Wednesday, 17 September 2008 | |
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Jennifer Larson Staff Writer The Forest Lake City Council adopted its maximum tax levy and budget for 2009 during a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 11. Next year’s general fund budget package is just shy of $7.1 million – an increase of 4.1 percent over the $6.83 million allocated in 2008. The proposed payable taxes for 2009 on a $250,000 home is estimated at $698.82. City property taxes on a home valued at $256,700 in 2008 is $699.17. Washington County has calculated the a decrease of 2.6 percent change in market value in Forest Lake from 2008 to 2009. City Administrator Chip Robinson told the council there were major revisions from the third draft with reductions totaling nearly $160,000. Mayor Stev Stegner said he was initially looking for more of a cut but believes next year’s budget is sufficient. Purchases eliminated include $12,000 for a striping machine and $110,000 for a 4 X 4 tractor. Those items for the public works department are being delayed until 2010 or later. Also cut was dental insurance for the council in the amount of $1,860. Only one council member elected the coverage, Robinson noted. The final budget adopted by the council includes transferring the fire inspector position to the building department for a cost savings of $39,600. He said that duties can be performed by building inspectors, eliminating duplication of efforts. “I actually think it is a good compromise,” Stegner said, of combining the positions. However, expenditures were not the only changes. Robinson said the projected revenue from Columbus for the fire inspection services would be reduced by $7,000. He explained that Columbus shares costs with Forest Lake for the position. Revenues would decline as well as costs by reducing the position to part-time, he added. The council had given Robinson directives during an earlier workshop to look at other areas of the budget. Council member Susan Young suggested that $500,000 for city street reconstruction in 2009 be included. He said staff was able to satisfy her request that was supported by the council via consensus without putting it in the general tax levy. The city will fund the projects through assessments, municipal state aid and TIF money. Robinson and Finance Director Ellen Paulseth were also asked to analyze if the city could save costs by contracting some services rather than hiring staff. The council made the final determination of filling the heavy equipment operator’s position vacated by retirement earlier this year and to keep two half-time street department slots who also work on park maintenance. “We’re not overstaffed,” Robinson said. In addition, the council included 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. The city must set its preliminary property tax levy by Sept. 15. The preliminary levy and budget can be lowered at a later date but can not be increased, Robinson said. The final levy certification for taxes collected in 2009 will come following the Truth in Taxation public hearing on Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Social Bookmarking ...       |
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