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• <br />APPROVED COUNCIL MINUTES DECEMBER 16, 2002 <br />Councilmember Carlson clarified with staff that Council does have the option to revisit the budget <br />after it is approved. <br />Councilmember Dahl read information regarding the General Operating Budget, levy and <br />emergencies. She asked if the Council did the same thing last year. Finance Director Rolek advised <br />the Council did do the same thing last year. <br />Councilmember Dahl stated she does not understand why the Council then can't do the same thing <br />this year under last year's levy. Finance Director Rolek stated the City will do the same thing as last <br />year but those are budget issues. Items in the budget are discussed every year prior to approval of the <br />budget. <br />Councilmember Dahl stated that since the City was able to do that last year the City should be able to <br />live within the last year's levy. <br />Finance Director Rolek stated the City will continue to implement items from the Comprehensive <br />Plan and money is needed to do that. The vehicle replacement program is a yearly process. The <br />contingency amount will be included also if possible. The City has to keep a certain level on the fund <br />balance. <br />City Administrator Waite Smith stated the biggest portion of the City's budget goes to personnel. <br />41/ Those costs go up every year. <br />• <br />Councilmember Dahl stated the City does have a contingency fund in the budget. As the City grows <br />it gets more tax dollars so taxes should decrease. It seems that the City is charging more than what is <br />taken in. If the City could do all of the same things on last year's budget the levy should be zero. <br />Finance Director Rolek stated the levy increase is under 4%. <br />Councilmember Dahl stated the City needs to look at something else if it wants to balance the books. <br />Finance Director Rolek stated that he believes in most cases residents are seeing a decrease in the <br />City's portion of property taxes. <br />City Administrator Waite Smith stated there are costs that the City has no control over such as health <br />insurance, which is up 26%. <br />Finance Director Rolek stated if the City does not approve the levy this evening another meeting will <br />have to be scheduled or the levy will automatically convert to the 2002 levy. <br />Councilmember Carlson stated the levy is increasing less that 4%. She asked if that increase is over a <br />lot more properties. Finance Director Rolek stated that increase is over a lot more properties. <br />6 <br />