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Public Safety
<br />2026 budget information was received from Ramsey County and the Lake Johanna Fire Department
<br />for public safety.
<br />POLICE
<br />The police contract is expected to increase by 13.2% or $231,220 for 2026. Information provided
<br />by Ramsey County on this increase is as follows:
<br />The major cost drivers include:
<br />• Competitive wages as a result of labor contracts and increased costs related to employee
<br />health insurance (i.e. increased paid parental leave, new state law for paid medical leave).
<br />The RCSO has stated that 2026 should be viewed as an adjustment year as employee
<br />compensation was brought in line with neighboring local governments after a significant
<br />lag.
<br />• Increased costs related to county fees for insurance and administrative overhead/indirect
<br />costs.
<br />DISPATCH
<br />Dispatch costs will increase by 17.4% or $12,780 for 2026.
<br />FIRE
<br />The fire operating costs are expected to rise by 17.6% or $159,231 for 2026. This is mainly due to
<br />the addition of 9 full-time staff (6 fire captains and 3 firefighters), which is an increase of 3 FTEs
<br />in 2026; step, COLA, and market adjustments; and an increase in repairs and maintenance, all of
<br />which Arden Hills' cost share portion is 24.4%.
<br />Please note, the SAFER grant will discontinue starting in 2027 and contract cities will need to fund
<br />the new positions. In 2024, the City decided to raise the levy in the Public Safety Capital Equipment
<br />Fund each year to build up a reserve for this (see chart below), in order to lower the impact of the
<br />annual levy increases. The annual levy increase for the first 4 years would be set at $40,000 and
<br />increase to $58,284 in 2030, then taper down starting in 2031.
<br />6 FTE
<br />City Share
<br />Beginning
<br />Year Balance
<br />Cumulative Tax
<br />Levy Increase
<br />Annual Tax
<br />Levy Increase
<br />Ending Year
<br />Balance
<br />YOY%
<br />Levy Inc
<br />2024
<br />-
<br />-
<br />40,000
<br />40,000
<br />40,000
<br />2025
<br />-
<br />40,000
<br />80,000
<br />40,000
<br />120,000
<br />2026
<br />-
<br />120,000
<br />120,000
<br />40,000
<br />240,000
<br />0%
<br />2027
<br />(275,000)
<br />240,000
<br />160,000
<br />40,000
<br />125,000
<br />0%
<br />2028
<br />(288,750)
<br />125,000
<br />207,000
<br />47,000
<br />43,250
<br />18%
<br />2029
<br />(303,188)
<br />43,250
<br />260,000
<br />53,000
<br />63
<br />13%
<br />2030
<br />(318,347)
<br />63
<br />318,284
<br />58,284
<br />(0)
<br />10%
<br />2031
<br />(334,264)
<br />(0)
<br />334,265
<br />15,981
<br />0
<br />-73%
<br />2032
<br />(350,977)
<br />0
<br />350,977
<br />16,712
<br />(0)
<br />5%
<br />2033
<br />(368,526)
<br />(0)
<br />368,526
<br />17,549
<br />(0)
<br />5%
<br />2034
<br />(386,953)
<br />(0)
<br />386,953
<br />18,427
<br />0
<br />5%
<br />2035
<br />(406,300)
<br />0
<br />406,300
<br />19,347
<br />(0)
<br />5%
<br />Based on demand and the needs of the contract cities, the fire department has indicated that the
<br />current part-time model is no longer working and has proposed a 9 FTE model. Based on this new
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