10-27-25 - City Council Agenda - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Search

Page 1 of 5 Lino Lakes City Council Special Work Session Minutes DATE: October 20, 2025 TIME STARTED: 6:00 P.M. TIME ENDED: 8:11 P.M. LOCATION: Community Room MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Rafferty Councilmembers Ruhland, Lyden, Stoesz and Cavegn ABSENT: None Staff Members Present: City Administrator Karen Anderson, City Clerk Roberta Colotti, Finance Director Tracy Thoma, Financial Consultant Kelly Horn, Community Development Director Mike Grochala, Chief of Police Curt Boehme, Fire Chief Dan L’Allier, Public Services Director Rick DeGardner, and Public Works Superintendent Justin Williams. 1. Call to Order and Roll Call Mayor Rafferty called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. 2. Setting the Agenda: Addition or Deletion of Agenda Items Councilmember Lynden requested to add three items to the agenda including discussion of a police garage, city survey question, and posting of the MN Flag. The agenda was adopted as amended. 3. 2026 Budget Updates and Discussion The Finance Director presented the updates to the 2026 Preliminary Budget and Levy recommended for inclusion in the 2026 Final Budget and Levy, scheduled for adoption on December 8th. The City Council adopted the 2026 preliminary tax levy on September 22, 2025, in the amount of $18,120,307. Staff updated the personal services budget, including reduced expenses for the MN Paid Leave budget and wage and benefits based on actual numbers vs. projections for new hires. As a result, 2026 Final Tax Levy is recommended to be reduced by $50,642, bringing the revised total to $18,069,665. The City Council discussed the proposed final budget and levy. Councilmember Ruhland requested that the City Council begin the process of reviewing options for providing ambulance services. He asked if the approximate $50,000 should be retained in the final budget to study and prepare for the establishment of an ambulance service. Page 20 of 166