Which one is it? >> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. It is now 5:30 and I will call this regular meeting of the Burnsville City Council to order. It is our tradition to stand for a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance and we invite you to join us. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Somebody get that doorbell. >> Welcome everyone. Members of the public are welcome to attend in person. Uh they may also choose to watch the meeting at burnsvillemn.gov/meings or Comcast channel 16 or 859. The public can also participate through Zoom by joining us at zoom. us/join. More information is available on our meetings web page and in the council agenda packet. The first item on the agenda this evening is announcements. Our announcements have to do with all of our upcoming meetings. Regular council meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, December 16th at 5:30 p.m. and [snorts] Tuesday, January 6th at 5:30 p.m. We have a work session that's scheduled for Tuesday, December 9th at 5:30 p.m. Unless noted, all meetings of the city council are held here in the chambers. The next item is citizens comments. This is the opportunity for anyone in the audience or online to address the council on an item that is not on the uh agenda and not in application form that will be coming before us at a future date. Is there anyone who wishes to address the council? Mrs. Collins, anyone online? >> No one online, ma'am. >> Uh we will then move on. The next item is additions to the final agenda and this is for emergency items only. City Manager Lindberg, are there any emergency items to come before the body? >> Nothing from staff may. >> Members of the council. Thank you. We will move on. The next item is the consent agenda. This is a group of items that's considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. However, an item on the consent agenda can be removed for a separate discussion and vote. Is there anyone who wishes an item uh on the consent agenda to be removed for a separate discussion and vote? Mrs. Collins, >> no one on my >> city manager Lindberg. >> Not from staff mayor. >> Members of the council, >> may I have a motion, please, to adopt the consent agenda. >> Move to approve. Second. [snorts] >> There's a motion and a second. All in favor, please say I. >> I. Oppose, say nay. And the motion carries. And we are at the regular agenda. The first item on the regular agenda is a public hearing. And [clears throat] this is the ordinance establishing the TW 2026 fees and charges. And presenting this evening is our deputy um chief financial officer, Mrs. Alyssa Ryan. Mrs. Ryan, the floor is yours. >> Thank you. Good evening, madame mayor and councel. Uh the before you tonight is for the adoption of the ordinance establishing the 2026 fees and charges schedule. This is an annual item. The fee schedule in your packet is consistent with what was provided at the September 9th work session. The fees have been included in and incorporated into the 2026 budget. Utility rates were informed by the utility rates study also discussed in September. City policy guides how rates are set using five criteria. Each fee is examined as part of the budget process. More information about the budget process is available on our website. Thank you. >> Okay. Any questions uh for um deputy uh chief financial officer Ryan? Yeah. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> You know, the thing is we do this in in such an excellent way throughout the year that there are no surprises. So, we know what the fees and charges are going to be and what the percentage are. So, thank you very much. Members of the council, this is a public hearing. I will now open a public hearing. Is there anyone who wishes to speak to this item? Anyone who wishes to speak to this item? Mrs. Collins, anyone online? >> No one online. Okay, I will now close the uh public hearing. Members of the council, your pleasure. Move >> to approve. Second. >> There's a motion and a second. All in favor, please say I. >> I. Oppose, say nay. And the motion carries. Um, council members, I need um we're going to recess till 6:00 so that we can hold the U truth and taxation public hearing and u and approve the budget and tax levy. So, we will stand in recess and uh we will reconvene at 6. >> [laughter] >> Good evening and welcome back. I will now recon It's six o'clock and I will now reconvene the Burnsville City Council to um city council meeting. And the next item on the agenda is uh 5B and this is our truth and taxation public meeting. uh resolutions establishing the 2026 [snorts] property tax levy and adopting the 2026 budget and adopting the 2026 2030 capital improvement plan. Presenting this evening is our uh deputy city manager and CFO, Mrs. Jenny Roadie. CFO Roadie, the floor is yours. >> Thank you. Um good evening, Madame Mayor and council members. Tonight we're here to review um the final budget and tax levy adoption. Um just a couple kind of um high level high level points. We've balanced uh the 2026 budget to the 7.4% tax levy. That is similar or the same um levy we talked about at the September 16th proposed levy adoption. Um the impact to the median value home is approximately $9 per month. Um overall taxable market value in the city increased about 2.7% or 253 million for taxes payable in 2026. Um with the 7.4% levy and the um 2% 2.7% market value increase that increased the tax rate from 45.8% to approximately 48.7% for taxes payable in 2027. Um with that, um we did have a number of budget effectiveness corrections along the way. Um certainly from the time departments entered their budgets to the proposed budget, we did make about $1.9 million in corrections to balance that budget. Um those were a combination of um some increased revenue projections um reductions across um across departments in expenditures and um also reduced personnel expenses. We did um we did remove two full-time positions um that were open that were planned as part of the organ analysis, two division coordinator positions as well as a part-time position. Um so that and reallocated a portion of the EDA levy to the general fund to um come up to come up with that $ 1.9 million to to balance the budget to the four to the 7.7 or 7.4% excuse me. Um along along uh those lines um we have continued in 2025 to um uh complete studies um in 20 for the 2024 budget. we we realized we needed to start completing capital studies in all of our areas to really inform future budgets and capital plans. Um so in 2024 we've done we've or 2024 we completed three studies and five I believe in 2025. So part of our plan for 2026 is to continue with additional capital studies. Uh those include the ITF study, um sidewalk and trail, street lighting, city- owned property, and um park parks and security um improvement study. So um those are planned for next year. Additionally, the organizational analysis that really looks at service, staffing levels, and compensation across the organization. um that was completed in January of 2025 to inform this this year's budget for 2026. Uh we are planning to update that [clears throat] in January uh for the 2027 budget. So that is something we look at annually uh to really inform what are our plans, what are what do we need, what are our priorities in terms of staffing across the organization. Uh we've also completed a fire department standards of cover that did call for 23 um FTEES across the next five years, a communications assessment to really help plan the strategic direction of the uh communications department and staffing going forward as well as IT studies that included um a security assessment, a capital plan as well as an operation uh operational study Um the financial management plan property tax projections um the first for the next five years uh 2026 is 7.4%. Um planned for 2027 or projected for 2027 at this time is 7.69%. That is the final year of that 5-year non-binding um resolution that was um that began with the 2023 budget. Um, projections in the final three years of the five-year plan are 7% at this time to fund current operations. The proposed 2026 tax levy um in total across the organization is 58,411,623, an increase of just over $4 million in total over 2025. That's a 7.4% change. Um on this table you can see that reallocation from EDA to the city level to the city levy to really help fund um general fund operations for 2026. Um revenues and other sources. Um this page um you can see property tax levies or property taxes are the largest single source of revenue for the city at um just over 58 million in total planned for 2026. That's about 39% of the total revenues of the city. Um the next category, the next highest category is about $42 million in charges for services. A majority of those come from the utility funds, um water and sewer and storm water. Um, and there are other charges across the city. Certainly user fees in our, you know, ice center and golf course as well as EMS charges in the general fund and other parks and other other departmental service charges across the organization. Other taxes of $12.9 million include franchise fees uh for the utilities as well as franchise fees for cable um the cable franchise fee fund. So that's um $12.9 million in total. Intergovernmental revenue about $9.9 million. Um that is down from last year and that really reflects um last year was our final year of or we've gone through our final year of ARPA funding. So there is a decline in intergovernmental revenues for for that. So if you look at the last few years that balance that amount would be higher and again um transfers bond proceeds other revenues other revenues does include investment income of about $2 million uh licenses and permits of $2.8 million and then assessments at 2 million. So for a total across all funds of the organization of $151 million for 2026 expenditures and other uses um personnel services or investment in our people is really the biggest cost or the biggest um expense um for the budget at about 62 62.8 million. Um really you know that's the cost of our people and benefits. I mean, we've also had increases in health insurance costs and things like that. So, certainly that that line item recognizes all of those um benefits [clears throat] across um across all departments. Capital investment of $36 million. That's our investment in, you know, infrastructure, whether that's water and sewer infrastructure, storm, sewer, streets, um, fleet, you know, our investment in our fleet vehicles, including, uh, fire, police, um, public works, all departments, um, IT, capital investments, and facilities, um, facilities maintenance [snorts] and and investment. current expenditures of $34.9 million recog recognized as pretty all those things we do we need daily to do to do our work you know supplies maintenance training um other professional services and things like that. Um and then the final two debt service is really payment of principal and interest on bonds issued to fund capital investments in in prior years and for a total of about 157.2 2 million in expenditures across the organization all and that includes all funds. Um, one thing we kind of we kind of always mention this, but we do there are a few adjustments that have happened since the final budget. Um, they don't change the tax levy, but really there are always refinements and expenditures, um, revenues as well. Um, so we did have, you know, some final adjustments for revenues and expenditures. We did have some payroll tax savings for the um well-being leave program. This we found out um late September that we were approved to do our own well-being program. So, we don't have those payroll taxes. >> Um so, we'll continue with the plan that we have um or that we've had for the past um year >> and we can go forward. Council member Keley, >> can you clarify what program that that from the state uh what the state calls it versus what we're going to call it? >> Um oh gosh, now you I I don't know if I have I I just I'm so used to our name. I don't know if I've got their >> sick and safely. >> Sick and safe. >> Or is it the uh let's see >> family medical leave. Okay. Thank you. >> HR to the rescue. >> Yes. Thanks, Mike, for the assist. Um >> I like our name better. I think well-being is >> Yeah, >> I do [snorts] too. And it'll be a savings um a savings for us, a savings for employees. It'll be, you know, continue our existing program, so it'll be um seamless. >> Yes. From year to year. Um we also did include um safer grant positions. We were notified in September that we did receive the safer grant. Uh we applied for 12 positions. We did get nine full-time firefighter positions. Um we already, you know, we did have some um some funds in there for um positions. So, we did include the the remaining six. We had three. We have we included the remaining six in the budget because um we we did accept the grant in October. So, we are we will be required to hire those and and keep and maintain those positions. Um so that was relatively revenue neutral for 2026 because we are receiving reimbursement um from the feds for about 75% of those expenditures. So >> m just member key >> those are all firefighter positions. >> Yes. >> Madam mayor you've been at the dis for a little while. Do you ever remember a safer or a cops grant for nine positions in one round? >> No. The first time around when we did the cops that was in the '9s um was >> mid to late 90s when we got I think it was 97 when we had cops. >> Nine positions approved. That seems like the that's the largest one I remember. >> I'm not quite sure what the number was, but there was quite a few. But that was during um the uh Clinton cops program where we had to >> and so [clears throat] we were beneficiaries of that program but I don't know if it was nine or what but we did it it helped kickstart because we were in a deficit also back then with regard to how many police officers we had just like we have been in a deficit with our firefighter and now we're getting getting where we're meeting what we need for both police and fire, >> right? I know we've applied many times and most times were rejected. So to get approved on a request for 12 and to get nine approved was >> a big deal. >> Incredibly good news. Yeah. A really big deal. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Um I should mention too those nine safer grant positions are included and the one um community risk reduction position that is being funded through the opioid funds. So there is a total of 10 um additional >> firefighter paramedic positions >> mostly in the first few years through the grant. >> Yeah. um for most of the next fiveyear period. Well, yeah. So, the nine are are funded in a large portion over the next three years and then the one is also funded almost fully through opioid for the next five years anyway. So, >> yep. Um and then >> the next item we did um as part of our commitment to kind of maintaining our compensation study and maintaining our um kind of that 75th percentile in terms of where we want to be in the market. every other year we're looking at um we're going out and doing a market check and also you know looking at what similar positions in other in other um cities are, you know, where they're at and as and looking at our own internal equity as well as you know what our organization what our organization is and you know looking at the budget. We did um we did allocate about 78,000 for some positions that were out of alignment with um with th with that compensation study and with that market check. So that was included. We were able to do that with some of those payroll savings, payroll tax savings. Um additionally, we did make some other minor minor adj uh additions, some cyber security investments, some additional resources for arts commission work, and some other minor changes. Um, with that, just want to take a look, review the FTEES, and um, just highlight this is the same um, the same table you saw in September or actually August um, with the inclusion of the additional six firefighters. So just wanted to show that that does um bring the additional FTEES in 2026 from from um 338.5 to 349.2 an increase of 10.7 FTEEs, but that does include all nine safer positions. >> What's the OA2 2026 column? That was kind that was our beginning of the year kind of you know when we did the OA in January where we thought we would be and as we work through the budget process um that kind of P 2026 or proposed 2026 is really this is what we're proposing for in the budget >> organizational analysis 2026 is that the 08 >> y thank you >> sorry that was I should have I should have sent that and anyway that was what was presented in January. Thank you. >> Um just a quick look at um taxable market value across the city. As we said, we are at about 9.7 billion. Um this is how it is allocated between um property types with residential being our largest um our largest category. Residential properties did increase about 3% overall across the city. um we saw a 5% increase in commercial industrial values for pay 2026. So um that was one of the largest that was the largest area of increase. Um and apartments declined about 3% in value. So they are make up about 15% of the total. So um as we see property shifts, we'll see a little you know that that will show up too in tax statements as people look at their market values. Um there are some shifts um there in terms of where you know where those increases are. Um with that this is our we we usually kind of like to look at the five-year history on some of these um some of these areas property tax increases. As you can see here is the five-year history on um our increases year-over-year um with 2026 proposed um at 7.4%. 4%. Um you can also see the city tax rate. Um that is a function of increases in market value as well as property tax um changes and other and other um other adjustments. But we are at 48.6%. Um in 2022 we were at about 43%. With that, our estimated market value or kind of more of our total market value within the city. Um, you can see we started at 7.9 billion [clears throat] in 2022, we were at 9.99 billion. Um, this is the most up-to-date information we have from the county. So, I think we were just over 10 billion in September, but with final market value adjustments that were done by the county, we're at now 9.99 with the median home value um at $356,500. So, um that also has increased quite a bit over the last 5 years starting um in 2022 with $292,000. Um additional information for more information on the budget, we certainly have all of our um all of our information, all of our presentations, capital studies, um all presentations from throughout the year are included on our budget landing page. Um, it does include information on property tax statements and value valuation notices and where you can um contact information for where you can go for questions on prop on valuations um and also information on property tax assistance programs that are offered by the state u Minnesota department of revenue. So there is there are links and phone numbers um for um people to people to contact um those different different agencies for more information with that um and we seem to be missing a slide off the end. Um I usually like to go through the the um different motions for the evening and um so tonight uh the next we'll have our our uh TNT hearing and then the council will act on the resolutions for the budget and tax slip. After that um the meeting will you'll recess the meeting. We will convene the EDA meeting um and act on the EDA le you will act on the EDA levy resolution. Um once that's complete that meeting will be adjourned and we will uh reconvene the city council meeting where you will act on approval of the EDA levy at that time. >> Okay. >> And with that I'll stand for any questions. Members of the council, questions for uh Deputy City Manager, CFO Roadie. Yeah. I think one of the things that might be also interesting for people to know is how long we've been going through this whole process. So, I know that you usually put up the Oh, yeah. the schedule of all of the uh meetings that we've had since March when we first start to look at the budget, go through each of it so that people know that this is something that we work on throughout the whole year to get to this point. >> Yeah, I can I can kind of walk through the the meeting schedule. In um January, mid January um we reviewed the uh 2026 organizational analysis that really looks at our staffing service levels and compensation. Um really our people resources across the organization. In March, um we updated the 10-year financial management plan or FMP. um our financial advisors, Ellers, um assist us with that and it really does um help us update um the financial plans for all our property tax levy funded funds and um kind of set that stage or set that um table for for the budget work ahead. Um our departments are starting their budgets in March. Um and that work much of that work happens March through June. So, in July, we had our um CIP our work session where we discussed um the annual capital improvement plan as well as the five-year plan and all um all of the funds that are impacted by capital capital expenditures. In August of 20 of of this year, we talked about the operating budget and all the tax levy funded funds. So really the largest of which being the general fund or the main operating fund of the city but the remaining funds that are impacted or ma [clears throat] remaining operating funds that are impacted by the tax levy. Uh September 9th we uh discussed the utility rate study and the uh fee schedule as well as the remainder of the enterprise funds. So really the utility funds as well as our ice center golf course and Ames center at that time. And on September 16th, we had the proposed um tax levy approval and proposed budget approval. So that that's where we've come from. Um we've since that time again, we've been finalizing budget numbers and um we're coming to you with the 7.4% increase that is the same as what we presented at the proposed. >> Um >> yeah, very good. Council member Keely, >> couple questions followup. Number one, just for comparison, the state of Minnesota's budget, uh, coming from cities, counties, township, schools, special taxing districts, cities are contributing $4 billion. 4 billion with a B. That's an 8.7% increase over 2025. So, we're about a point and a half below that, which is good. We should be well below that. Um, and the prior year was uh 6.9%. So, pretty stiff [clears throat] increase in 2026. And I know there's a lot of cities similar to us or geographically close by that are experiencing double digit uh increases in their levy. Once again, in some cases, I've spoken to a few of those and I've asked like, why is it 11% or 12%. And they said, well, we have a 2 or 3% um special levy for a special project, a one-off project. So, it's a levy in just that one year to help pay for it. Some of those are voter sponsored uh or supported uh in the case of some of our neighboring cities that that go to the taxpayers and ask them do do you want your taxes to go up 3 or 4% next year uh to pay for this particular improvement project. Um [clears throat] the other thing I wanted to ask could you go back to the slide that shows the forecast for the future years >> um >> is the 7.69 69 and the 777. Do those include um an estimate for the EDA that is back to the 1.5 million or is it using a smaller number? >> Um >> it's using a smaller number right now. Um so >> we we reallocated 800,000 from the EDA levy to the city levy. So starting in 2026, that projection reflects that. >> It stays it stays that way. So instead of putting 1.5 million each year or not putting growing the number >> by 1.5, we're going to grow it by 700,000 and the rest is reflected in the general levy portion of the the equation. Okay. >> Correct. And that general levy includes majority of that's the general fund but also includes um the infrastructure trust fund, equipment and vehicle fund and um IT capital fund as well as debt service levies. >> Sure. uh you might want to explain to the viewing audience what nine of the non-binding resolution years why eight six and seven have a yes and 8 n and 30 have no. So in um starting in with the 2023 budget um at that time um the city council approved um an organizational analysis to really catch up on our staffing across departments um um and really you know fund that staffing over a five-year period. We did start with a larger increase, but at that time we talked about these are the these are the outyear projections we had in the five-year plan and count it was council's wish that we include that in the resolution and that we keep to those um they were varying just a little above 7% for the remaining four years. So that non-binding resolution, if you do look in the tax levy resolution, there is that is included for each year. And we yeah, we've come to say the non-binding resolution. I'm not sure that's very um very descriptive, but it is really a non-binding commitment to stick to that plan from 2023. >> And one final, you noted um 1.9 million in >> efficiencies. Um that's not the word you used. What was the word? >> Um effectiveness corrections. >> Effectiveness correction. >> Partly because part of it was an adjustment and so I wanted to make sure that that was >> and some of it was efficiencies as you noted. There was I think three and a half FD equivalents uh was part of the reduction or not choosing to do it even though it was in the budget to do so to try and mitigate this. Um, I I think that's becoming important because I know over the last five years that staff efficiency or budget efficiencies has grown from 1.2 or three or four to now pushing 2 million. And um I don't know how many rabbits you have left in your hat, but um that's getting tough and seeing in the next year of six 7.69%. I remember three years ago there was a five% number in the future forecast and now we're two points above that or maybe a point and a half because I think it was 5 point something and I think in this time that we're coming off of this absurd amount of inflation that has driven costs for for everybody. Consumers have felt it, governments, everybody that buys products and services has felt it. Um it's it is slowing down, but it's unfortunately very slow to show up in our numbers. Uh where I would rather see something in the 5% in 2027, it's actually escalating even higher. Uh which is disappointing. So, we're going to have our work cut out for us to pull this train, slow this train of escalating costs uh back to realism because honestly, 5 years of 7 something is really not sustainable and and it looks like it's going to be seven something going into the future. And, you know, nobody can afford that. I mean, nobody's getting 7% I can't say nobody. Somebody out there's giving 7% raises, but majority of Americans and working-class folk are not getting 7% increases every year. And so somehow we've got to find a solution to slow this inflationary uh cost drivers and what we're doing as a city. And we're not alone. I mean, every city across the country is talking about the exact same thing like how do we pull the reinss back? How do we control? You're already doing it. You have every year. uh with uh city manager Lindberg has told us like we have worked to grind out savings to to not do this to cut back on this to find a cheaper cost for this and that's that efficiency number right to come up with this 1 point some million just to get us to 7%. That's and it's getting harder and harder. So, I don't know how we're going to do it, but we're going to have to roll up our sleeves and figure out a way cuz I I mean I I understand why we are here. And it's um difficult for those of us who like to see lower property taxes to just say no. Um some of us just say no. Um but but you know, it isn't as easy as just say no, right? I mean, the solution isn't like, "All right, no, we're just going to cut it." um that means, you know, potentially cuts to public safety or other things and we can't do that. I mean, boy, we can't do that. I mean, I think everybody understands that, right? Uh safety is paramount over everything else in the city. So, I don't know how we're going to get there, but those numbers are very concerning for me, especially next year to see it just continue to escalate up. >> Thank you. I think it's concerning for all of us, but the thing is we know that when we keep saying no or else we don't meet the need for services, then we're finding ourselves really back filling what we had said no to. And um so it is always a challenge, but I trust the work that uh you all do. um deputy city manager uh CFO Roodie and uh city manager Lindberg and the entire staff working together to make sure that we meet the needs of the people but at the same time how do we continue to uh address the cost issue and there are other pressures that we have to deal with because there are outside pressures and it's not just the cost of delivery of service. It's the other cost also that we have uh are impacted with like everybody else. You mentioned um health care insurance [snorts] those that continues to go up. It doesn't go down. So these are all of the different pressures that we deal with, but we'll get there. Um, are there any other questions for um, Mrs. Roadie before I open the meeting up? Okay, thank you. Stay put. Uh, [laughter] and, uh, this is a, uh, public meeting and I have one person who signed up to speak on this item and that is Mrs. Osborne. Mrs. Osborne, would you please come to Yes. Right. Yes. And give us your name and address for the record, please. >> My name is Cheyenne Osborne. I live at 608 Chateau Circle in Burnsville. >> This is my first ever meeting. I will not bore you and say I'm smart or if know what you're talking about. This is brand new and I thought I'd just step forward and say everything somebody just said for me. Um, Councilman Keelley, um, I understand exactly where some of these issues come from. I work for you care for maybe two more weeks. Okay. I don't know if I have a job. >> Um, we were bought out by Medicica. >> Yeah. >> And, um, they don't have room for 800 and some employees. >> So, I did not get a 9%. I don't know where you get the seven. On my tax paperwork, it says 9.12. It doesn't matter. It's still more than I got a raise for last year, even if I could keep the raise. And um I understand the cost of the health care because I work at UKare. I know the reason we are losing our company is because we couldn't afford all the pharmacy bills for all the Medicare and Medicaid patients. So, I understand the struggles and I realize you guys have been working on this for months. I'm not changing anybody's minds. I'm not here to blame anybody, but I want to say I agree. It's unsustainable. Every year, everything around me goes up more. It's not just my property taxes. It's my groceries. My milk alone went up 20% in the last two years. Everything. my chiropractor it that went up 10%. Um, so if everybody raises everything somewhere between seven and 12% and I'm getting a 3% raise, pretty soon I'm not only not maybe I'm living in a safe community, but maybe I can't even live in the community anymore. Maybe I have to move because I can't afford it anymore. I mean, even the cost of the insurance on my home has gotten so phenomenal. I hear people saying, "Yeah, I have to I illegally cancelled my insurance on my home and then it caught on fire and now I have no house and I have no insurance." And I don't know how I'm going to pay my bills in the next couple months if I, you know, do lose my job. And this percentage is not going to make a difference on whether I've lost my job or not. I'm just I just wanted to say my piece and thank you for putting all the work you guys do. I'm sure it's a lot and I appreciate your efforts and I appreciate everything you had to say because I felt like you knew there were people out here who hadn't heard some of the stuff you talked about and I'm I'm glad that you shared and I just wanted to express my thoughts and I was hoping all those new apartments you guys were building in Burnsville were helping. Um but apparently it's not helping enough. So, that's all I had to say. Thank you. >> Well, thank you for coming in, Mrs. Osborne, and sharing your your thoughts with us. It's very important to us, and um I know it's frustrating when we're all dealing with affordability in in our community and in our country. So, we will continue to do our best to provide the services that you expect from us. and at the same time, how do we manage the cost of all of that? So, thank you for coming in. [snorts] >> Um, >> Madame Mayor, yes, I think >> Council Member Show pushed her button. Can I just respond to the young lady? >> Um, I think mine went up nine or 10% as well. This what you see is the blended average of the whole city. And so, any given property could be above or below that number. In your case, you were a little above. Mine was a little higher than that as well. >> Yeah, mine too. Uh, Council Member Schultz. >> Uh, and I know [clears throat] this gets joked about a little bit, but it's it's not a joke for me. Um, I I will not be voting for this. It's not that I don't think staff hasn't done a great job. They have. Our staff really has done a really good job on this. I'm appreciative of the um nine non-binding resolution. um and trying to fulfill that. Um but the reason why I vote no isn't because it's easy or I think it's a cavalier attitude. It's because I look at the costs and I see the costs are not sustainable and what we're doing is not sustainable. We're not the only ones. like we're not the only ones trying to figure this out and quite a bit of this is driven by people costs, right? It's the majority of costs in a city. Um, and one of the areas of people costs is our first responders and we do need to have a safe city. We need our police, we need our fire, we need our ambulance and they do an amazing job. um they are also looking at their call volumes that are skyrocketing. And again, this is not a Burnsville thing. This is a everyone is experiencing this. And when I look at those numbers, we cannot tax our way out of this situation. There's not enough money out there to keep on that trajectory. And so what I ask and what I keep hoping um is that we're starting to look and I do know our police and fire are looking at this um but I'm hoping council can start to look at how do we look at things before they're a problem that is expensive to deal with and clean up. How do we start preventing things? How do we start bringing those call volumes down? Not because people are afraid to call, but because there's not the need to call. And there's no silver bullet on any of that. It's going to be 50 different things that are going to need to be done and we won't we won't see the benefit from it for a couple years. But I mean, it's just like the planting the tree thing, right? Best time was 20 years ago. Next best time is like today. So, that's what I'm hoping if we want to get these costs under control, that's the area we need to start focusing on. I'm glad our staff is focusing on it. I I I know our council would like to focus on that, too. It is a difficult thing to do. Um, and it's also a difficult thing to justify on time and expense doing that because then you have to prove a negative, right? But I'm telling you that call volume that we are expecting our first responders to deal with and why we're having to keep growing that area. It is a hockey stick. We cannot tax our way out of this. So I will be voting no and it is it's not a joke and it's not cavalier. So Okay. Thank you. Now I know that only one person signed up um to speak this evening. However, if you want to talk about your tax statement, our deputy city manager and fi um and chief financial officer, Mrs. Roadie, and also our finance director, um Mrs. Alyssa Ryan is back here. They will be happy to talk with you about all of that. Also, if you look at your tax statement and the value of your property has gone up and that is one of the factors, it is at the county assessor's office that that can be adjusted and uh Mrs. Roadie and u Mrs. Ryan can help you with all of that and when those meetings take place at the county assessor's office. So, I don't know if there is anyone else who would like to um address us, but we have um Mrs. Rodie and Mrs. Ryan who will be happy to go over your uh statements with you tonight. [clears throat] So, but if there's someone else who wishes to address this, but thank you so much for coming in uh and uh in this cold evening and um and we understand we think about it and we struggle with it throughout the year, but it's not just each year. We do it throughout the whole year, year after year, thinking about the cost and what it's going to mean uh to all of you and to all of us and at the same time meet what you expect from us. So, uh, and it's not an easy easy job to do, but we will continue to do our best because we understand, uh, my um, my my taxes also went up, but I looked at it and it was my the value of my property went up. So, that's a factor that draws to all of that. And then you look at what the school district does. But tonight, we're only looking at what the city does. And that's what um we're sharing with you tonight is our the budget. That's what we have control over and the levy. The county has control on the assessed value of your property. So, Mrs. wrote, if you have any um remarks about uh when does that meeting take place? Is it in April? >> Um so um early in the year around March um the county sends out um the valuation notices and with your property tax statements as well. And so at that time they're setting the valuation, you know, in early 2026 for taxes payable in 202027. So, if there are concerns or questions, that's a great time to reach out to the county and have them take a second look if you want to or um just, you know, they might be able to answer some questions about um changes in property values um at that time, but early in the year because once those valuations are set, those are um the foundation for the next year's property tax statements. >> Okay, very good. Um seeing nobody else who had signed up uh to speak um we will now then move on um with the uh public portion um closed at this time. It isn't a public hearing but it's a public meeting so I don't have to open and close it. But um members of the council, tonight we are asked to adopt the resolution for the 2026 levy and the resolution on the 2026 budget and the 2026 2030 capital improvements program. May I have a motion to adopt the following resolutions? >> Move to approve. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second. All in favor, please say I. >> I oppose, say nay. >> Nay. >> And the clerk has the division of the house. Thank you. I will now recess the U Burnsville City Council meeting so the economic development uh authority meeting can proceed. President Best, the meeting is yours. >> Thank you, Madam Mayor. Good evening. I call the economic development authority meeting to order. The clerk will please note that all commissioners are present. Are there any additions to the final agenda? Seeing none, I will move on to item number two, our consent agenda, which is the approval of minutes from October 21st, 2025. Is there anyone who wishes an item to be removed from the consent agenda for a separate discussion and vote? [snorts] Seeing none, I may I have a motion to adopt the consent agenda? >> Moved. >> Moved by Commissioner Keeley. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Worksman. All in favor, please say I. I I oppos [clears throat and cough] nay and it passes. We move on to our regular item which is a resolution adopting the Burnsville Economic Development Authority EDA 2026 property tax levy and budget. Jennifer Roodie, our deputy city manager, CFO, and EDA assistant treasurer is presenting. >> Uh thank you. Um the uh levy proposed is $700,000 for taxes payable in 2026. um total expenditures have do show a reduction over our budget for 2025. Um those are reflective of of um just needs and um I do believe we're going to have some budget savings in 2025. So that that 2026 budget just reflects um reflects those um changes and shifts. And with that um I'll stand for any questions. >> Are there any questions? I I do have one question and Commissioner Kee kind of brought it up as we we are lowering the EDA levy, >> right? >> In order to we have one point the ED levy was was kind of created when we did this a few years ago when we started bringing it up is to give us money for investment and partnerships in our city to help grow our tax base in the city. And at what point are we looking at bringing that back where we can start putting that away again? building for building yeah building the uh >> fund. >> Generally speaking, I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but we do show a small increase year-over-year. So, we're not keeping right now the financial management plan includes about a $50,000 increase year-over-year. Um, if we look at the um kind of the fund balance or or the um what's in the fund, we did have, you know, more positive results than we had planned initially. So we are in a cash position that reflects where we were ahead of where we thought we would be at this time. So, you know, if we look back to that 2023 plan, we really are still um kind of in line with where we thought or were actually ahead. So, we'll we'll monitor that every year and see, you know, where are we ending up? Are we, you know, are we still building fund balance and are we still in a position that we thought we'd be? and we'll have those discussions um at the time with each budget. >> Yeah. Because I I also thought uh that um the plan to build that fund so we can be good partners in uh economic development and making sure that we uh grow grow the tax base. It's another way for us to get at the cost of things is growing the tax base. Yeah, and with that we do have those additional la funds that we are receiving. So um that's helping us to make more invest investments in housing. >> Feel better that money is coming. Maybe you want to explain what LAa is for. >> Um yeah, so LA is a local area >> local area >> uh funding that is comes from a >> housing assistance. Yeah, housing assistance that comes from a sales tax um annual sales tax that the legislature approved I believe in 2023. Um the city does receive about 800 will starting in 25 um receive about $800,000 annually. And so throughout this year, we've been talking about um the different types of housing programs and investments that we will be making with those funds. And um we do expect those and for the time being, we do expect those to continue. And so that has helped us make an investment in an area. One of the one of the uh reasons also we wanted to increase that levy is we also wanted to be able to make some of those additional investments. So this is helping us to do that. >> Okay. City manager Lindberg. >> Madame Mayor, members of the council, EDA president, uh specifically Jenny did a nice job answering the question. Specifically, the council had um uh implemented a plan for the 2023 budget that projected, as an example, for the 2026 projected budget of EDA investment fund balance of $3.8 million. With the changes that have been implemented and discussed today in the reduction to the EDA levy, that projected balance will be $4.9 million if my notes are correct. So, I'm looking to >> that makes sense. um we are ahead of where we thought we would be at this point. So that was also one of the reasons we felt we could make that >> okay >> um shift. >> Makes sense. >> Are there any other questions? >> If not, may I have a motion to adopt the resolution? >> Motion by Commissioner Keely. >> Second. >> Second by Commissioner Workman. All in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. >> And >> and the eyes have it. >> There are no other business. So may I have a motion to adjurnn? to >> Motion by Commissioner Keely, second by Commissioner Schultz. All in favor say I. >> Oppose say nay. And we are journ. And the meeting is back to you, Madam Mayor. >> Thank you. I will now reconvene the Burnsville City Council meeting and uh the actions of the EDA as always uh ratified by the members of the city council. So before us is a resolution to adopt the uh Burnsville Economic Development Authority uh 2026 property tax levy. Um Mrs. Roodie, I don't believe that you need to say anything else. Members of the council, um your pleasure. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> There's a motion and a second. All in favor, please say I. I. I. Oppose say nay. And the and the clerk has a division of the house. Thank you so much. Um members of the council, members of our community, there are no other items to come before us this evening and a motion to adjourn is in order. So >> second. >> Council member Schulz makes the motion, second by council member Workman. Uh all in favor, please say I. I. Oppose say nay. And the motion carries. Thank you for being with us and have a good night.