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ARDEN HILLS SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — JULY 28, 2025 9 Councilmember Weber recognizes the importance of the earlier statement to avoid bonding, if possible. He also thinks it's important to give the residents what they want. If we can't afford to do those things in this budget cycle we have to increase the levy appropriately so we can afford in the future. Part of the reason we are where we are is because we're not adding to the potential. Haven't been for some time. Some things are going to have to be pushed out. It is also important to fit those things into a plan. How can we get them in the relatively near future? To the point of bonding in 2030, he assume that is dependent on accepting the proposals outlined today. Finance Director Yang confirmed. Councilmember Weber said that is $350,000 increase to the PIR. He asked what the total increase was for Public Safety. Finance Director Yang said for Public Safety, it's just the $40,000. Councilmember Weber said it's important to recognize that we can wait to bond, but it is entirely dependent on raising the levy now. That is a pretty significant increase, across the board. We have projects next year that seem like ideal candidates for bonding. He thinks the water work we have to do for Rice Creek Commons next year is just the booster station and the work on the north tower. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said we have the trunk watermain upgrade in Roseville. That is $900,000. Councilmember Weber said that doesn't include any of the spine road trunk line. That will be significant. It would be helpful to see an estimate on what that might be. If we're still talking about potentially bonding soon, we need to look at what conflicts there might be. Next year does seem like an ideal year, if we are moving forward with it. He would like to see options if next year is a possibility, to try to soften the blow to residents this budget cycle. We would have to commit to a stepped increase in the levy every year. It will be a significant number. Councilmember Holden doesn't agree that we haven't done it in the past. We've added parks and put park benches in the park, we've added trails. It is incorrect to say we haven't done anything. We planned ahead for all of those items. She wondered what people Councilmember Weber is talking about when he says "it's what people want"? As leaders, we have to take responsibility and make sure, for the residents here that are living paycheck to paycheck, that we aren't taxing them out of our community. What would it look like if we tax 15.9%? We can nit- pick on every little thing. Maybe we start using ICWC more. We can hire them full-time. They work five days a week, we only ever use them on the weekends. Maybe they can take care of the City Hall. There may be other resources out there that we can utilize to reach our goal. Mayor Grant thinks there is a difference in bonding for TCAAP trunk utilities. We can use the 429 process. Those bonds are covered by special assessments against the property. It won't be a burden on us, if it's done that way. The upgrade to the Roseville watermain will be assessed back to 429 special assessments. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said it, will be. It's related to the TCAAP development.