Agenda Packets - 2011/01/10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council December 13, 2010 Regular Meeting Page 3 need an additional two months to fill this position. 1 2 Mayor Flaherty indicated he would be in favor of reducing the levy to 2% due to thereductions3 found in the budget over the last several weeks. 4 5 AMENDMENT MOTION/SECOND: Flaherty/Hull. To increase the tax levy by 2%. 6 7 Council Member Hull questioned how much the tax levy increase would impact theaverage8 house in Mounds View. Finance Director Beer explained the impact would amountto9 approximately $20 for the average household. 10 11 Council Member Mueller indicated the contingency fund was eliminated with the 2011 budget. 12 The recent snow event would draw from these funds in 2010. She questioned how theCity13 would be affected if this continued into 2011. Finance Director Beer indicated the Cityhas14 drawn from the contingency fund in the past. However, with this fund being eliminated, staff15 would bring forward a resolution to request a fund transfer. 16 17 Council Member Mueller requested further information from staff on the number ofhours18 worked by the public works department to clear the streets and parks after a major snow storm. 19 Public Works Director DeBar estimated his staff spent 70+ hours clearing streets and parkinglots20 and another 40+ hours in the parks. 21 22 Mayor Flaherty recommended the 2% levy increase over the 3% levy increase due to the factthat23 the City has recognized savings since originally discussing the preliminary budget in September. 24 25 Council Member Stigney questioned if the 2% levy increase could be sustained. He feltthe26 Council should be working harder to make reductions to assure that the decreases canbe27 sustained into the future. The Council could then work to further reduce the costs to theCity28 while utilizing the levy reduction fund. 29 30 FRIENDLY AMENDMENT: Stigney: To increase the tax levy 0%. The friendlyamendment31 failed for lack of a second. 32 33 Council Member Gunn questioned if the 2% tax levy was acceptable to staff. FinanceDirector34 Beer indicated the goals of the Council should be reflected upon. The State had a $6.2billion35 deficit and additional market value homestead credits could be lost. However, the Councilwas36 very diligent on spending. 37 38 Council Member Stigney stated he would support the motion for a 2% tax levy increase andnot39 the originally suggested 3% tax levy increase. 40 41 AMENDED MOTION VOTE: 42 43 Ayes – 5 Nays – 0 Amendment carried. 44 45