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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — AUGUST 19, 2024 21 <br />Finance Director Yang stated the item is not going up by 67%. That is the makeup of the total <br />public safety changes. There is a total of $250,000 in total public safety changes. <br />Finance Director Yang said public safety is going up $208,000. Ramsey County <br />Sheriffs is going up by $140,000. Lake Johanna Fire contract is going up by $73,000. Ramsey <br />County Dispatch is up by $3,200. Public Works is seeing an increase of $101,000 primarily due to <br />street maintenance. No real change is happening in Parks and Recreation. <br />Finance Director Yang shared a chart showing tax levy history. The City's tax rate has averaged <br />about 25.73%over the last 10 years. This is due to the estimated market values on properties. She <br />doesn't have numbers for 2025 yet. There is an upcoming meeting with city finance directors and <br />Ramsey County. She will have additional information on preliminary numbers after that meeting. <br />Finance Director Yang showed the proposed tax levy. The general fund levy is $580,349 or <br />12.5%. The CIP tax levy proposal is $160,000 or 28.6% change. Equipment, building replacement <br />is set to decrease by $60,000. There is no change in PIR. The $75,000 parks master plan is <br />accounted for in the fund balance change. Public safety is set to $260,000, an increase of <br />$220,000 over 2024. <br />Finance Director Yang stated this is an overall tax levy increase of $740,349. A 0.5% change in <br />the tax levy equates to $26,550. <br />Councilmember Monson asked if the $100,000 EDA money that was discussed, will move into <br />the general fund. Finance Director Yang confirmed. <br />Councilmember Monson asked if the equipment and building replacement amount of $210,000 <br />might change depending on what they choose to do on the case loader. She asked where the <br />Public Works staff will go. <br />Finance Director Yang replied it is in the general fund. <br />Councilmember Rousseau asked about the $270,000 for the gateway signs. <br />Finance Director Yang replied that will be pushed to 2026. <br />Councilmember Monson asked if that will decrease the general fund requirement. <br />Finance Director Yang said it will adjust the CIP fund balance, but it would not impact the levy. <br />This discussion is focused on the levy. <br />Councilmember Monson asked if the PIR fund assumes two trails. <br />Finance Director Yang said no. She shared an updated slide showing the tax levy assumption <br />grid. This includes the CIP levy changes as well as the underfunded levy cost. Looking at the <br />general fund costs, the impact to the levy is $580,349. This does not include Public Works <br />staffing changes. Personnel costs impact is $181,000. The transfer to cable fund is $50,000. She <br />showed the increase to the Ramsey County Sheriffs contract, increase to the Lake Johanna Fire <br />Department increase in election services, and the increase to the Ramsey County Facility <br />Maintenance. One time comp study savings at $17,500. The street maintenance program for seal <br />