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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL — SEPTEMBER 23, 2024 E MOTION: Councilmember Holden moved and Councilmember Monson seconded a motion to adopt Resolution 2024-044 — Adopting and Certifying Quarterly Special Assessments for Delinquent Utilities to Ramsey County. The motion carried (5-0). B. Set Preliminary Levy and Establish Truth -In -Taxation Public Hearing Date for Proposed Taxes Payable in 2025 • Resolution 2024-045 — Preliminary Levy • Resolution 2024-046 — TNT Public Hearing Date Finance Director Yang stated State law requires that cities certify their proposed property tax levies to the county auditor by September 30th of each year. The proposed tax levy that is given preliminary approval may be lowered but cannot be increased. Therefore, it is important that the proposed tax levy provides adequate revenues to finance the 2025 Budget. The City Council needs to decide the maximum levy that it is willing to approve and then adopt the resolution. There will be another budget workshop in November. The City will hold its Truth and Taxation Hearing and set the final tax levy at the December 9, 2024 City Council meeting. A budget workshop was held with the Council on September 9, 2024. Staff was directed to incorporate additional changes to the preliminary levy. She discussed how the median value homeowner would be impacted by the proposed preliminary tax levy. She reviewed the tax rates for other cities in Ramsey County noting Arden Hills tax rate was the lowest. Staff commented further on the proposed changes that were made to the preliminary budget per Council direction, reviewed the items where increases were projected for 2025 and recommended approval of the 11.87% tax levy. Councilmember Holden asked how the Safer Grant would impact the budget and questioned if the fire department raises were included in the budget. Finance Director Yang explained the salaries were included within the CIP public safety fund. She noted an incremental $40,000 was included to cover the captains' salaries. She indicated the budget did not include raises. Councilmember Holden believed the budget for 2025 was looking at increases for part time firefighters and noted the fulltime captains have both a COLA and market adjustment included in the costs from the Safer Grant. Mayor Grant indicated the County recognizes North Oaks as a city in Ramsey County but North Oaks was not included in a comparison like this because they were 50% homeowners' association and 50% city. He asked if the implementation of the salary increases for staff was included at the $155,000 level. Finance Director Yang reported yes, that was included in the budget. Councilmember Fabel commented the City had outperformed its budget the past several years and has spent less than what was budgeted. He indicated on Page 3 of the report, there was $161,670 taken out of the fund balance and in 2024, the City would be spending almost $1 million more than was budgeted, which reduces the City's fund balance. He asked what the fund balance was at currently.