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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION—NOVEMBER 18, 2013 2 <br /> Mayor Grant recommended that the Council assume there would be sales and use tax relief close <br /> to $10,000 for 2014. <br /> Councilmember McClung suggested that the Council do away with work session meals and <br /> proposed meeting start times be adjusted. He was in favor of dropping the tuition reimbursement <br /> in 2014, along with expenses for training and conferences. He supported the three intern positions <br /> being removed from the budget and recommended the directors of these departments report back <br /> to the Council in 2014 as to the needs of their departments. He wanted to see the expense for <br /> Professional Services and Consultants in the Planning Department cut in half. He explained that <br /> these cuts would get him closer to a budget that he could support due to the fact it would be much <br /> closer to a 0% levy increase while still maintaining the City's priorities. <br /> Mayor Grant noted that the Council had discussed eliminating Celebrating Arden Hills for 2014. <br /> He proposed the Council discuss all further budget adjustments at the City Council meeting on <br /> December 9, 2013. <br /> Councilmember Holmes questioned the purpose of this agenda item if discussion was to be <br /> delayed until December 9th. <br /> Mayor Grant indicated that the discussion this evening would allow the Council to discuss which <br /> budget items they were in agreement with, and which they were not. He wanted to have all final <br /> decisions on camera on December 9th. <br /> Councilmember Holmes asked if the transfers to PIR will continue in 2014. <br /> City Administrator Klaers recommended that this transfer be removed from the general fund. <br /> Councilmember Holmes requested further information on the $500,000 TCAAP loan. She <br /> expressed concern that the City had a $500,000 expenditure in the budget with no guarantee of <br /> revenues for five to seven years to reimburse this expense. <br /> Director of Finance and Administrative Services Iverson discussed the interfund TCAAP loan <br /> in further detail. She reported the loan was a 2013 expense. She indicated that the loan funds <br /> would be paid back to the City once SAC fees were collected for the TCAAP development. <br /> Councilmember McClung did not object to the TCAAP interfund loan noting that this type of <br /> loan was used rarely by the City. <br /> Mayor Grant commented that the loan could be undone, however, he found the $500,000 <br /> interfund loan to be a transparent solution to accounting for TCAAP expenses. He questioned if <br /> the Council wanted to change the interfund loan. <br /> Councilmember McClung saw no reason to change the loan. <br /> Councilmember Holden suggested that the Council address the TCAAP expense in a different <br /> manner. <br />