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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — NOVEMBER 24, 2025 11 Finance Director Yang said that is a one-time savings that goes into the reserves. Mayor Grant understands that. He said Staff has accounted for all the costs going forward. Finance Director Yang said we have accounted for all the costs going forward but we haven't accounted for the levy shortfall to cover those expenses. Mayor Grant said we are way under on those expenses. If it makes you whole, we can go back and adjust that. Councilmember Monson said even though we don't spend it, it doesn't equate to money in our pocket. If we have extra revenue coming in, could we make a transfer this year for the $122,000 from last year? Finance Director Yang said it doesn't work that way. When we have a surplus, it just sits in your reserves. We are trying to solve for a lower levy number. We aren't levying enough to cover our expenditures. These are reoccurring costs that are going to go out into the future. We shouldn't bank on our reserves. If we keep having a recurring $122,000 deficit moving forward, we will eat away at the reserves and we'll have to bump up the levy again at some point. Mayor Grant said there is nothing from the previous year that is going to impact 2026 because Staff has accounted for absolutely everything and we have a $900,000 surplus. He doesn't know why we need to include this $122,000. It seems like double counting. There are no structural costs going forward past the 2026 because everything has been accounted for and the previous year we had a humongous surplus. Councilmember Rousseau asked if we put $50,000 into the EDA fund this year and then reduce that to $0 next year, would it have an impact on the levy number? Finance Director Yang confirmed that would lower the overall levy. Councilmember Rousseau said we are really talking about $760,000 if we include the $140,000 from Ramsey County. If we did the technology piece and the EDA fund, that would be two levy points. She sees there are park maintenance sign replacements. She asked if there is anything we can pay for this year. Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen said that is for repair work. It isn't labeled appropriately. There are a lot of diseased trees that will be removed and replacing a culvert that is pedestrian bridge. Councilmember Rousseau asked if we are building "purchasing of equipment" into the 2027 budget. Is there anything we can purchase this year and remove from 2027's budget? Public Works Director/City Engineer Swearingen can review the equipment that is programmed for next year. Councilmember Rousseau would support finding a way to reduce the levy by six points. If we can find some spaces to pay for things this year, then any additional can be put toward the general fund or the reserves.