HomeMy WebLinkAbout2023-2024 Winter SourceWinter 2023
2024 Budget and Tax Levy
2024 Budget: On September 19, 2023, the City Council adopted a 2024 Preliminary Property Tax Levy of
$8,922,042 which is an increase of $1,123,639 or 14.4% over 2023. The City’s estimated tax rate for 2024 is
24.545% which is a 2% increase over the 2023 tax rate of 24.064%.
2024 Preliminary General Fund Budget : The operating budget for expenditures for 2024 has an overall
increase of $418,701 or 5.423% over 2023. The increase is due to a number of factors. Some organization -wide
increases come as the city’s staffing implementations continue. No new internal positions will be added in 2024,
but a number of positions that were budgeted for just a portion of 2023 will be full-year in 2024. The new City
Center will increase expenses for a number of departments, and insurance expenses are expected to increase, as
well. The city will be incorporating an additional Deputy into the contract with Washington County Sheriff’s Office
in 2024. The Fire Dept. will be incorporating additional Paid -On-Call hours for training and duty crews.
Non-tax revenue is expected to decrease
in 2024 as development shifts to multi-
family and permit and review fees
decrease. This decrease in non-tax
revenue creates a gap that must be filled
with additional tax revenue – the General
Fund Levy -- in order to balance the
budget. The preliminary General Fund
levy was set at $5,998,212, an increase of
$876,947 or 17.1%.
2024 Debt Levy: The overall City levy is
made up of the General Fund levy and the
Debt levies. The table to the right shows
the 2023 Debt levy and the proposed 2024
Debt levy. Debt levies are increasing by
$246,692 or 9.2%.
(Budget & Tax Levy Continued to Page 2)
Winter 2023
3880 Laverne Avenue North - Lake Elmo, MN 55042 (651) 747-3900
Winter 2023
2024 Preliminary City Property Tax Rate: The tax rate is calculated using the City’s Local Taxable Capacity
divided by the total levy. The total levy is made up of the general fund levy and debt levies on its outstanding
bonds. The City’s estimated tax rate for 2024 is 24.545% which is a 2% increase over the 2023 tax rate of
24.064%. Tax impacts on a home are due to both the change in tax rate and the change in home value. The
table below shows the city tax using the estimated 2024 tax rate on various home values in the City.
Public Hearing: A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. After the
hearing the City Council will consider adoption of the final budget and tax levy for 2024.
Tax Impact Examples: The example City Tax calculations below are based on the city’s median estimated home
value increase of 3.9%. Estimated City Tax for each property will be available in the truth -in-taxation notice sent
to properties in November.
2023 2024
Home Value $ 350,000 $ 363,650 (3.9% incr.)
Tax Rate City Taxes Due
24.064% (2023) $ 828.52 $ 864.14
24.545% (proposed 2024) $ 854.08 $ 881.41
$ 52.89 increase
2023 2024
Home Value $ 500,000 $ 519,500 (3.9% incr.)
Tax Rate City Taxes Due
24.064% (2023) $ 1,203.20 $ 1,261.86
24.545% (proposed 2024) $ 1,227.25 $ 1,287.08
$ 83.88 increase
2023 2024
Home Value $ 650,000 $ 675,350 (3.9% incr.)
Tax Rate City Taxes Due
24.064% (2023) $ 1,654.40 $ 1,730.80
24.545% (proposed 2024) $ 1,687.47 $ 1,765.40
$ 111 increase
2023 2024
Home Value $ 900,000 $ 935,100 (3.9% incr.)
Tax Rate City Taxes Due
24.064% (2023) $ 2,406.40 $ 2,511.98
24.545% (proposed 2024) $ 2,454.50 $ 2,562.19
$ 156 increase
Winter 2023
Winter 2023
Water Tower #3
The new 1 million gallon water tower construction
is scheduled to be on-line the end of November.
The additional water storage will complement the
existing 1 million gallon tank on Inwood Ave and
the 750,000 gallon tank on Ideal Ave. The
additional water storage will provide additional
domestic water and fire protection in the south east
quarter of the city.
The tank itself is made of welded steel and is
elevated roughly 100 feet in the air. The tank is set
on top of a reinforced concrete support tower that
contains equipment to operate the water tower.
Water is held in the steel tank and is filled by
existing city wells located in the northeast quarter
of the city. A centralized data collection and control
system operated by the city monitors the water
level in the tank and communicates with the wells
to turn on (fill the tank) or off (tank is full). Once the
water tower is in operation it will undergo routine maintenance inspections and projects as
necessary to keep it functioning for years to come.
Parks Master Plan
The City of Lake Elmo is developing a new Master Parks Plan. This new long rang plan will replace the existing
parks plan that was adopted in 2009. The long range plan is an extension of the 2030 Comp plan which was
recently updated in 2021. The master plan
follows the growth and development of our
city and provides a short a long term
outline of our park system that is clear,
flexible and implementable. This plan will
serve as the framework to guide the parks
commission and city council on park
additions and improvement decisions over
the next decade.
During the preparation of the Parks Master
Plan, the community will have several
opportunities to review, and provide input
on the future of Lake Elmo’s Parks Master
Plan.
Winter 2023
Lake Elmo Public Safety
Fire Prevention
This year’s focus is on cooking safety. Your Lake Elmo Fire Department is committed to
educating the public about simple but important steps you can take to help reduce the
risk of fire when cooking at home.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association, (NFPA) cooking is the leading cause of home fires, with
nearly half (49 percent) of all home fires involving cooking equipment; cooking is also the leading cause of home
fire injuries. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires and related deaths. In addition, NFPA
data shows that cooking is the only major cause of fire that resulted in more fires and fire deaths.
Cooking safety starts with YOU! Pay attention to fire prevention and use these helpful tips when in the kitchen:
Always keep a close eye on what you’re cooking. For foods with longer cook times, such as those that are
simmering or baking, set a timer to help monitor them carefully.
Clear the cooking area of combustible items and keep anything that can burn, such as dish towels, oven
mitts, food packaging, and paper towels. Do not use your oven as a storage place when it’s not in use.
Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Keep a lid nearby when cooking. If a small grease fire starts,
slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner.
Create a “kid and pet free zone” of at least three feet around the cooking area and anywhere else hot food
or drink is prepared or carried.
Working smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms save lives! Test your smoke and CO alarms monthly, including
the installation date and replacing batteries every six months. Replace any defective alarm and alarms over ten
years of age.
Recreational Fires and Open Burning Permits
Recreational fires continue to be a great way to gather and enjoy the fall weather in Lake Elmo. Hosting a
recreational fire on your property comes with a certain level of responsibility. Be a good neighbor and consider the
wind speed and direction of smoke before starting the fire. Consider knocking on your neighbor’s door to let them
know ahead of time that you will be burning. This drastically reduces the number of nuisance calls made to 911
regarding smoke.
Keep the size of the fire to a limited 3x3x3. Three feet wide, three feet tall, and nothing smaller than three inches
in diameter is to be burned. Remember, recreational fires do not include burning leaves, sticks, or yard waste! If
the fire gets out of hand don’t wait or hesitate, call 911 immediately.
Open burning permits are required for large scale burning. Permits are issued only after an inspection is
performed on site to ensure safe practices are being followed. City Ordinance only permits the burning of
dead/disease vegetation, bee hives, ground thawing, and prairie restoration. A variance can be issued for special
burning, such as storm debris.
More information can be found on the City of Lake Elmo website, under Public Safety > Fire Department > Open
Burning.
Winter 2023
Water Rebate Program
The City of Lake Elmo, in partnership with the Metropolitan Council, is offering rebates for
new installations of water saving devices. With numerous water supply issues, there has
never been a better time to improve our water conservation efforts.
Water utility customers in Lake Elmo are eligible for up to $150 for the replacement of washing machines and
up to $100 per EPA WaterSense toilet. Purchase and install a qualifying device and submit a
completed rebate form with a copy of your receipt. Upon approval, a credit will be applied to your
water account. Applications and additional information are available on the City’s website.
New City Staff
The City has welcomed five new staff members in the past few months.
Please join us in welcoming them to Lake Elmo!
Ashley Monterusso – Planning Assistant. Ashley had over 15 years' experience in the
hospitality sector before going back to school for a master's degree in urban and Regional
Planning. Rooted in a hospitality mindset, she approaches her work at the city with a
commitment to service, relationship-building, and community engagement.
Peter Haveman -
Firefighter
Peter has been with the
department since 2019
as a paid-on-call
firefighter. He was
promoted in August. He
also serves with the
Woodbury Fire
Department.
Tim Anders -
Firefighter
Tim joined the
department in August.
He also serves with the
Woodbury Fire
Department.
Michael Ohrt -
Firefighter
Michael joined the
department in August.
He also serves with the
Woodbury Fire
Department.
Bill Redman -
Firefighter
Bill joined the
department in
September. He also
serves with the Red
Wing Fire Department.
Winter 2023
Winter 2023
Internet: www.lakeelmo.org
Email: comments@lakeelmo.org
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Non-emergency: (651) 439-9381
3880 Laverne Ave. N.
Lake Elmo, MN 55042
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A publication of the City of Lake Elmo
3880 Laverne Ave. N., Lake Elmo MN 55042 • 651-747-3900
Mayor
Charles Cadenhead
Council
Lisa McGinn
Matt Hirn
Katrina Beckstrom
Jeff Holtz
City Administrator
Kristina Handt
Winter 2023