Minutes - 1999/11/22 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council November 22, 1999 • Public Hearing Meeting Page 2 percent wage increase has been budgeted for, and the City expects to see some significant increases in employee health insurance, although there is a cap on City contributions to family health insurance premiums. He advised the actual amounts would not be known until April or May of 2000, and in the interim, there were also collective bargaining agreements to be resolved. City Administrator Whiting stated another issue related to the General Fund is the City's contribution to the Community Center. He advised that $50,000 has been budgeted for operations at the facility, as it has been in the past three years. He noted the City is now complete in terms of its expenditures for construction of the building, which pertains to a different fund, and the specific details of this could be discussed during the meeting. He indicated that the City's Finance Director would provide an overview of how the budget generally works, and how taxes are calculated and divided. Finance Director Kessel stated the City is comprised of several different funds, the main fund being the General Fund, which is financed through property taxes and pays for the costs of Administration, Streets and Street Maintenance, Police and Fire Protection, Community Development, and Parks and Recreation. Finance Director Kessel explained that the City's Special Revenue Funds dedicate sources of revenue for a specific purpose. For example the City collects a franchise fee on cable television • service, and this money is directed to the Cable Television Fund that can only be utilized for cable television activities. Finance Director Kessel indicated the Economic Development Fund pertains to such matters as business loans, housing redevelopment, and the redevelopment along Highway 10. He noted the City receives a grant of approximately $25,000 from Ramsey County for its recycling program, and this money is applied toward the Highway 10 redevelopment. He stated no changes were proposed for the Economic Development Fund in the 2000 Budget. Finance Director Kessel stated the residents of the City are assessed a fee on their water bills which is dedicated to the Street Lighting and Surface Water utilities. He indicated the majority of the streetlight expense pertains to the electricity usage, and a small amount is utilized for new streetlights. He advised that a resident interested in obtaining a new streetlight on their property could achieve this through a petition and the agreement of the surrounding property owners. Finance Director Kessel stated the operation of Lakeside Park is a Joint Venture between the City of Mounds View and the city of Spring Lake Park. He explained that each city contributes $7,500 to offset the cost of lifeguards and maintaining that park. Finance Director Kessel explained there are several Debt Service Funds, which are the basically all the Tax Increment Districts. He explained that the revenue source for paying the bonds on those districts is the Tax Increment property tax. •