2022 Vol 16, Issue 6 September Gem Lake News

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Gem Lake News Page 3 of 6 Preliminary Budget for 2023 Presented at 9/20 Hearing (Continued from page 1) The following changes were made from the 2022 adopted budget, as a basis for the 2023 proposed preliminary property tax levy: • Based on the 2015 Refunding Bond schedule, the debt levy for 2023 is set for $77,873. In addition, in 2018, the City issued bonds for the improvements on Scheuneman Road and the 2023 debt levy for this issue is $6,545. The two of these debt levies make up the City’s 2023 debt levy of $84,418. • Licenses and Permits increased $2,550, based on 2022 and past activity. • The City Council contingency was increased to $25,000 (up from $8,000). • Clerk/General Government budget includes $10,000 for health insurance coverage and a wage increase of 5% for the Clerk. • Clerk/General Government budget includes $50,000 for new software installation. • The Police budget was increased 23.16% to $117,000, based on the City of White Bear Lake budget recently provided to Gem Lake. • The cost of fire services could increase 15.96% to $34,025. • The $14,579 for the part-time code enforcement position in the building inspections department, was removed from the budget. • The road maintenance budget includes $25,000 for road maintenance/repairs and $15,000 for trimming boulevard trees. • Salt/sand costs remain at $15,000 and snow plowing increased from $17,000 to $20,000. • A park/trail maintenance budget of $6,000 for maintaining common area near the Villas of Gem Lake was added. • The 2023 budget includes $20,000 for future improvements. • Revenue and other expenditure line items have been adjusted based on past history. These changes result in the Gem Lake proposed preliminary tax levy of $748,879 for 2023. This compares to the 2022 preliminary levy of $608,060 and the final tax levy of $558,210. Using a 2023 property tax levy of $748,879 and the City’s 2022 tax capacity ($1,426,695) and median valued home ($352,000) for Gem Lake, that median valued home would pay City property taxes of $1,686.94 in 2023, compared to the 2022 preliminary levy of $1,364.02, an increase of $322.92. As the City of Gem Lake prepares its final 2023 budget, the property tax levy can be lowered, from the preliminary numbers, but cannot be increased. The final budget is due to the State of Minnesota in December. There will be a Preliminary Budget Public Hearing on September 20 at 7:00 p.m. at Heritage Hall. You are invited to attend. Gem Lake Selects New Recycling Hauler After numerous customer service complaints and nine delayed pick up cycles, the Gem Lake City Council voted to switch recycling contractors. Sometime this Fall, Gem Lake will change from using Waste Management to Republic Services for residential recycling. Various details have to be worked out, such as when Waste Management will pick up their green and yellow bins, and when Republic Services will drop off their new bins. It is projected that Waste Management will provide recycling pick up through the month of September and possibly a bit longer. The dates of old bin pick up and new bin drop off are being worked out. For more up to date information, be sure to consult the City of Gem Lake Facebook page.