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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL – DECEMBER 9, 2024 10 Mayor Grant anticipated this expense would come in substantially lower than the amount that was included in the budget. He asked if the public works FTE was to manage grants. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen reported this would be just one of many duties for this position. Mayor Grant questioned if this position should remain in the budget as an expense item. He discussed the parks master plan, noting Mounds View recently completed a parks master plan that came back with an improvement price tag of $110 million. He supported the City Council looking at what was not done in the previous plan, prior to moving forward with a new parks master plan. He stated he did not support the City completing a parks master plan just to complete parks master plan. He understood one would be needed, but he was uncertain if this was needed next year. He discussed how the Great River Greening bid came in higher than anticipated. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen reported this was the case, but noted this would not increase what the City will be contributing to these projects. Councilmember Monson asked what trails the City would be completing in the coming years. Councilmember Holden stated this included the Old Highway 10 trail, the Lake Johanna Trail, the County Road E trail from New Brighton and the Hamline Avenue Trail by Ingerson. Councilmember Monson reported the City had $880,000 set aside for trails which would pay for the extension on Highway 51 which would connect the neighborhood southeast of Lake Johanna on Old Snelling Road. She indicated the City learned MNDOT would be covering this $550,000 cost. She noted this meant funding could be shifted to the Elmer Anderson and Roseville trails. She explained the Council has had minimal conversations about how to fund the Old Highway 10 and Lake Johanna Trails. She understood the City had some grants, was seeking more grants and was considering making a bonding request from the State. She indicated the public should understand the Council has not discussed the Lake Johanna trail or the Highway 10 trail and how these projects will be folded into the budget, but the City continues to find grants. She reiterated that the Council has been working on the budget since June of this year and this was the first time she was hearing about making cuts to parks. She discussed how removing the parks master plan would not make a dent in the proposed tax levy increase. She asked that staff speak to this further. Finance Director Yang reported the budgeted tax levy for the PIR/CIP fund was set at $250,000 annually and noted other revenue sources make up the overall increase to the fund balance. She explained the $75,000 for the parks master plan would be coming from the PIR/CIP fund balance. Councilmember Monson stated tonight was the first time she was hearing the cost for the Hazelnut Park parking lot would come in less than $350,000 and the Council has been reviewing the budget for the past six months. She did not appreciate the fact several Councilmembers were now sharing their thoughts at the last minute because this showed a lack of coordination and openness. She stated she has worked really hard to try and find areas where she could make cuts and no one came up with any ideas at the previous budget discussions. She explained she would have enjoyed discussing the Hazelnut Park parking lot at a previous meeting and did not believe now was the time to make a change.