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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 <br />City budgets conservatively and there may be surplus in the proposed <br />budget that can be identified. Keis agreed that utilizing LGA dollars in the <br />General Fund should be the fallback position. Montour agreed. He also <br />noted that levy increases have occurred in past years at a stable level. <br />Montour felt that maintaining increases at a stable level was preferable to <br />taxpayers than having big swings in the tax levy. <br />After additional discussion, it was the consensus of the Council to certify <br />the preliminary 2015 Budget at a 3.5% increase with the goal to get the <br />final Budget down to a 2.5% to 3% increase. The City Administrator <br />noted that this fall the City will have better numbers relative to the 2014 <br />Budget and the projected surplus. It was also noted that the City has a lot <br />of capital improvement needs which include railroad crossing upgrades, <br />the new Public Work -Parks building, the City Center remodel, etc. <br />Surplus dollars as well as LGA dollars would be directed into the General <br />Capital Improvement Budget. <br />McGraw expressed some hesitation at certifying the Preliminary 2015 <br />Levy at 3.5%, noting the potential for unforeseen needs that may be <br />identified over the course of planning the 2015 Budget. He noted that <br />once the preliminary levy is certified, the City can go down in certifying <br />the final levy, but cannot go up. Again, the consensus was to proceed with <br />a 3.5% increase for the preliminary levy with the goal to be under a 3% <br />increase for the final levy. <br />'i'he City Administrator noted that the preliminary 2015 Budget will be <br />acted on during the regular Council meeting this evening. He also noted <br />that there will be additional budget workshops over the course of this fall, <br />with the final 2015 Budget adopted at the Council's December meeting. <br />McGraw asked that the next budget draft include departmental increases in <br />the order of largest increase to smallest. <br />ADJOURN There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 6:52 p.m. <br />W1'liani l Mayor <br />Attest 2 /' <br />anson, City Administrator <br />5 <br />