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October 14, 2025 St. Anthony Council Work Session - 7 Mayor Webster noted in the 2026 budget that we have currently used $200,000 of the fund balance. We are already pulling $200,000 from our “savings account” and money out of our “IRA” to lower next year’s levy. There are consequences down the road. This is her hesitation. Councilmember Randle stated he agrees, and we should get the pain over with now rather than in the future. Council is the steward of money for the City. Councilmember Elnagdy stated she would normally agree to bite the bullet. She must believe that the financial landscape may look different in the future. She suggested a happy medium and not using all the money at once. Councilmember Jenson asked if $200,000 borrowed from the fund balance would be paid back. Ms. Maloney stated this was an excess from 2024 in accordance with the fund policy. The City should have a substantial “savings account” in case we have a catastrophic need in the future. He does like the idea of having some funds applied. Previously, he was in favor of going through the six years and spreading the money. Mayor Webster thanked Councilmember Jenson for helping describe the complexity of the situation. Councilmember Randle asked how $200,000 spread over 9000 people would give us any tax relief anyway? He asked if it is worth dipping into our “savings” for that. Councilmember Doolan asked for clarification on the $200,000. The TIF funds are extra monies coming in due to the long-term arrangement the City had to give tax relief for the development effort, which has put pressure on the residents to fund the increasing services. She is trying to weigh whether using those funds may benefit some of the residents who would use the amenities. She would rather use the $900,000 for tax relief for all. Councilmember Elnagdy stated that if we don’t use the $900,000, we recognize the need for more fire department personnel, but we are looking at our residents to fund that personnel while holding onto the pot of cash in case we need it sometime. That does not feel good. Now is not a time when people have extra cash. She thinks that somewhere in the middle feels more responsible. Not using it all at once. Residents have been bearing the brunt of the cost for increased services. Councilmember Jenson stated that was the path he was going down two weeks ago. We asked residents to help pay the cost of building Silver Lake Village for 25 years, and now we are getting some of that money back, and we are going to keep it. Councilmember Doolan asked what levers we have and how they should be prioritized. Hockey rinks and equipment to support them are one lever, along with other amenities we are talking about. Increased fire personnel are absolutely a need. Mayor Webster summarized that she does not hear anyone in favor of Option 1. She hears the consensus that we know we need additional personnel, and it is a matter of determining the best way to fund it. She is in favor of an amenity that brings people together in the community. If the concern is next year, what would feel reasonable? Would using $100,000 at 8% be good? Councilmember Randle stated that a dog park and pickleball courts are amenities that are luxuries. 9