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ARDEN HILLS REGULAR CITY COUNCIL – DECEMBER 12, 2016 8 <br /> <br />Interim City Administrator and Director of Finance and Administrator Services Iverson <br />reported that staff would adjust the budget to include the E2 trail segment which would increase <br />expenditures $100,000. <br /> <br />MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Holmes seconded a <br />motion to adopt Resolution #2016-038 – Adopting the 2017 Final Budget in <br />the Amount of $18,777,880. The motion carried (5-0). <br /> <br />Mayor Grant stated there has been a great deal of discussion by the Council regarding the levy <br />amount. He explained the current levy increase was proposed to be 4.7%. <br /> <br />MOTION: Councilmember McClung moved and Mayor Grant seconded a motion to <br />adopt Resolution #2016-039 – Setting the 2017 Final Levy for Taxes Payable <br />in 2017 in the Amount of $3,641,290. <br /> <br />Councilmember McClung stated he would not be supporting a 4.7% levy increase. He <br />explained he could support a 3.5% levy and believed adjustments could be made to reduce the <br />proposed levy increase. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holmes supported the tax levy and understood residents wanted to see the <br />Council investing in the City’s parks and trails. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant indicated he did not support the proposed levy. He had hoped the percentage <br />would be reduced to 3.5% through a portion of the 2016 budget surplus. He understood that trails <br />and parks were important to Arden Hills’ residents and were included within the CIP. He <br />believed it would be very simple to use a portion of the surplus to buy down the levy. <br /> <br />Councilmember Wicklund asked if historically the Council has worked to reduce the levy <br />percentage. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant commented this has been done in the past. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden stated she would be supporting the 4.7% levy. She explained the three <br />trail segments proposed to be completed in 2017 would cost the City $525,000. She did not <br />believe there was much of a difference between a 3.5% and 4.7% tax levy. For this reason, she <br />recommended the levy amount remain as is. <br /> <br />Councilmember Wicklund indicated he was comfortable with the 4.7% tax levy increase. <br /> <br />The motion carried 3-2 (Mayor Grant and McClung opposed). <br /> <br />D. Approve Memorandum of Understanding with Alatus Arden Hills LLC <br />Regarding Park Land Dedication and Improvements to TCAAP/Rice Creek <br />Commons <br /> <br />Stacie Kvilvang, Ehlers & Associates, stated at the November 28th City Council Worksession, <br />staff provided a set of reconciled park improvement costs estimates for the Creek, Hill, and Town