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From these practical goals, three strategic directions were identified to help achieve this vision: <br /> <br />1. Enhancing Identity and Empowering the Community <br />2. Creating Operational Efficiency <br />3. Maximizing our Assets to Catalyze Development <br /> <br />These strategic directions have been utilized by City staff throughout the budgeting process to <br />guide them in creating this budget. <br />The following new initiatives and priorities from the Strategic Plan are included in the 2024 <br />General Fund Preliminary Budget: <br />Enhancing Identity and Empowering Community <br /> <br />• Possible translation of the City newsletter available on the City website into another <br />language other than the English and Spanish translations that are already available. <br />• Increased Personnel Budget by one additional FTE for the new Community Relations <br />Manager – Hired July of 2023 <br />o Conduct community survey <br />o Develop community outreach program <br />o Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) initiative <br />o Community vision event/activity <br />o Community culture campaign <br /> <br />Creating Operational Efficiency <br />• Contracted services for exploring alternative options for public safety services – This item is a <br />carryover from the 2023 budget, no additional funds levied in the 2024 budget. <br />• Resiliency – Increase Staff Capacity <br />o Public Works Apprentice promoted to Maintenance I <br />o Apprentice position filed – Increased PW staffing by one FTE <br />o Customer Service Specialist – 0.5 FTE – Position not yet filled <br /> <br />Maximize the City’s Assets to Catalyze Development <br />• TIF Loan Agreement entered in 2022 – Twin Lake Apartments Project. Loan interest <br />payments began in 2023 <br />• Contractual services for Market Analysis and Redevelopment <br /> <br />Budget Initiatives <br /> <br />The 2024 Operating Budget has been prepared after analyzing requests from the various <br />departments, and represents the financial support needed for operations of the City of Little <br />Canada for the upcoming fiscal year. Revenue estimates are based on historical trends and are <br />projected conservatively. <br />The City of Little Canada provides a wide range of services to the community, including police <br />and fire protection, street and park maintenance, snow and ice removal, water and sewer utility <br />services, storm water management, recreational opportunities, administrative services, <br />inspection services, and planning services. Police services are provided by the Ramsey County <br />Sheriff’s Department and demand the largest share of our resources at 34.95% of the total <br />3