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Mounds View City Council November 28, 2005 <br />Regular Meeting Page 7 <br /> <br />Mayor Marty reported that the Sunday Pioneer Press had an article about the City of Blaine 1 <br />acquiring parkland and green space through tax forfeiture and donations. Blaine is looking at 2 <br />how to preserve and protect green space for the future. Also in the Wednesday newspaper after 3 <br />the November elections, one of the feature articles in the Metro section of the StarTribune was 4 <br />about the cities of Woodbury and Eden Prairie making large gains to protect and acquire 5 <br />parkland. Woodbury has set aside about $9 million to acquire parkland and green space and 6 <br />Eden Prairie earmarked about $4.3 million to acquire green space. Mayor Marty commented that 7 <br />while these cities are making concerted efforts to acquire green space and parks, Mounds View 8 <br />seems to be getting rid of it. 9 <br /> 10 <br /> B. Reports of Staff 11 <br /> 12 <br />1. Budget Review 13 <br /> 14 <br />Finance Director Beer presented the staff report indicating the changes made since the last budget 15 <br />discussion. He noted the reduction of the base levy by $307,000, which will result in a zero levy 16 <br />increase. Finance Director Beer explained the City will need to establish a transfer-in from the 17 <br />Levy Reduction Fund for $217,000 representing investment income on the net land proceeds. 18 <br />The City will also need to establish a transfer-in from the Levy Reduction Fund for $141,000 for 19 <br />to hire a temporary inspector for the Medtronic project. The City would be carrying the balance 20 <br />of the money in the Levy Reduction Fund to pay off future expenses related to that temporary 21 <br />inspector. 22 <br /> 23 <br />Finance Director Beer stated there are several items that established budgets for that temporary 24 <br />inspector. He noted he increased the transfer to the Community Center Fund, which had been 25 <br />reduced at one time, since that fund will be of primary concern. 26 <br /> 27 <br />Finance Director Beer stated there will be a savings of $25,000 over the life of the bonds for the 28 <br />new Fire Department building. The first year there will be a savings of $219 because the City 29 <br />realized better interest rates than originally projected. 30 <br /> 31 <br />Councilmember Stigney asked about the recommendation to establish a transfer in from the Levy 32 <br />Reduction Fund for $141,000 for the temporary inspector. Finance Director Beer explained the 33 <br />permit money will be put into the Levy Reduction Fund and as money is spent from the General 34 <br />Fund, the City will need to transfer money into the General Fund to cover those expenses. The 35 <br />transfer in will come from permit revenue. 36 <br /> 37 <br />Councilmember Stigney asked why the money is not used from the TIF administrative fund. 38 <br />Community Development Director Ericson explained that the City is not going to realize TIF 39 <br />administrative increment gains for several years. However, the City will be needing and 40 <br />expending money on inspections immediately. He advised that permit revenue estimates are 41 <br />about $380,000 in 2006 but the increment is not available until 2007 or 2008. 42 <br /> 43 <br />Councilmember Stigney stated the money transfer will not be more than what is brought in from 44 <br />permit revenues. Finance Director Beer stated that is correct. 45