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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, December 4, 2023 Page 2 Councilmember Schroeder indicated originally, she was unhappy with the percentage of this increase. When she looks at where the increase is, which is the compensation area, it is vital for the City to be able to have good employees, pay them well, and retain them, so that is not an area where cuts can be made which makes her okay with where this ended up. Councilmember Etten concurred with those comments and felt this was an important investment for the City staff,noting it is pretty expensive and at the same time the City has good staff and the way to retain that staff, is to treat them in the right way. He hopes people understand. Mayor Roe agreed and noted because the City provides services to people in the community,which is done through people,the largest percentage of the City budget by far is the people. The City needs to make those proper investments to keep the staff that are good and to attract people for the future as well. He was supportive of these changes and thought in order to do any substantial reduction to what is being proposed, the Council would have to talk about reductions in levels of service and personnel associated with that. He was not sure that was what the community was looking for at this point. Councilmember Strahan indicated she knows a lot of people in other cities are experiencing significant cuts in services and she appreciates the thoughtful use of the funds, and that the City continues to have the high level of services available. Public Comment Mayor Roe offered an opportunity for public comment with no one coming forward. Roll Call Ayes: Strahan, Etten, Schroeder, Groff, and Roe. Nays: None. Schroeder moved, Etten seconded, adoption of Resolution No. 12039 entitled, "Resolution Submitting the Final Property Tax Levy on Real Estate to the Ramsey County Auditor for the Fiscal Year of 2024." Mayor Roe noted in regard to the tax levy specifically, as was noted, the increase on the levy is just under nine percent and interesting to note in Council discussions, that the dollar impact on the median single-family home as a result of this levy increase is actually a smaller dollar impact for 2024 than the impact of a smaller percent increase to the levy last year. Roll Call Ayes: Strahan, Etten, Schroeder, Groff, and Roe.