Meeting Date: September 20, 2021

The City Council Meeting Rundown is prepared by the City Manager and is intended to be used as an informal summary of meeting highlights. For complete details on all agenda items, official meeting minutes, or to watch a video of the meeting, click Watch City Meetings.

2022 Preliminary Levy:  The City Council adopted the 2022 preliminary tax levy at Monday’s meeting. In preparation of the preliminary tax levy certification, the City Council has conducted a series of budget meetings to discuss various expenditure options related to the General Fund, which for the most part guide the amount of tax levy needed to fund operations. The preliminary tax levy, once it’s certified to Carver County, cannot be increased (essentially the budget for the budget).

2022 Preliminary Budget Highlights:

• New debt payment for the Jonathan Carver Parkway Improvement Project
• New funding for the Pavement Management Plan in the form of a Street Maintenance Levy. The funding will facilitate a reclamation and mill and overlay project in the Eagle Ridge neighborhood in 2022.
• Adding a full-time Finance Director to City staff.

The City Council will hold a truth-in-taxation hearing related to the preliminary tax levy on December 6 in order to provide an opportunity for resident and other stakeholder comments. The City Council will take final action on the 2022 tax levy and budget at the December 20 meeting. In the interim, staff will review, revise, and present additional budget estimates to the City Council.

Long-Term Financial Plan:   The City Council adopted a revised Long-Term Financial Plan at their Monday meeting.  The Long-Term Financial Plan identifies future capital equipment, infrastructure projects, staffing, operations, and maintenance needs. The Plan assesses the financial impact of these identified needs, along with the corresponding tax or utility rate impact these investments have in the General, Water, Sanitary Sewer, and Storm Water Funds. 

Pavement Management Plan:  After several months of discussion and review, the City Council adopted the community’s first ever Pavement Management Plan.  A Pavement Management Plan provides a comprehensive overview of street conditions, identifies the maintenance needed for the street system, and lastly, integrates a financing model to pay for the plan elements. The plan identifies annual street maintenance projects as bituminous mill and overlays, reclamations, a seal coat and crack seal program, and reserving funds for miscellaneous repair needs.

MetroNet Agreement:  The City Council entered into an agreement with MetroNet, facilitating the construction of a dark fiber ring to City facilities. In addition, the agreement paves the way for MetroNet to provide fiber internet services to the entire community, with construction planned for the spring of 2022.

Energy Assistance Program: The City Council authorized staff to participate in an energy assistance program sponsored by the MN Department of Commerce. The program provides financial resources for those with past due utility (water, sanitary sewer, and storm water) accounts. The program is connected with the American Rescue Plan, which allocated approximately $14M in federal funds to the State of Minnesota to assist residents experiencing a hardship with paying their utility bills due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.