City Council Retreat March 15, 2025

Sunday, March 16, 2025

2026-2027 Budget Priorities and Strategies

Strategies to slow property tax levy growth

Debt service obligations

Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) and asset preservation

Revenue enhancement: credit card processing fees

Adjustment of user fees and service charges

Franchise fee methodology and policy

Budget stabilization fund utilization

Expansion of advertising and facility naming rights

Equipment Levy reduction

Operating budget service reductions (mill/overlay, human services)

Transition of city assessing services to Hennepin County

2024 Year-in-Review recap

Alignment of city mission and vision with budgetary work plans

Areas of Interest (6)

Edina explores transferring municipal property assessment services to Hennepin County, joining Maple Grove in interest.
City staff identifies $4 million in potential budget adjustments/savings for the 2026-2027 cycle.
Proposed policy shifts: passing credit card processing fees to users and ending city-funded general support to nonprofits.
Controversy brewing over potential reduction in the mill and overlay road maintenance program.
Staff evaluates transitioning from flat-fee utility franchise fees to percentage-based models.
City plans to expand revenue via facility naming rights and aggressive advertising sales.

Notable Quotes (3)

Today is deep diving into stuff... we're looking at recommendations and how to move forward.
— Sarah

Meeting ObjectivesSetting the agenda tone.

We want to go into it full... to not eat the credit card charges that we have in the past.
— Scott

Revenue EnhancementDiscussing shift of transaction costs to end users.

Maple Grove and Edina have told the county that we are at least on the staff side that we're interested in in more fully developing a proposal.
— Scott

City Assessing TransitionStatus of the city assessing transition project.

People (5)

SarahMeeting Facilitator

Facilitating council budget strategy session, setting rules of engagement.

1 quote

“I'm not asking to hold questions I'm asking the whole discussion of the merits so clarifications of meaning and questions absolutely we should absolutely be doing those.”

Clarifying the protocol for the meeting to allow questions while deferring deep dives into merits.

ScottCity Management/Staff

Leading the presentation on budget recommendations and financial strategy.

1 quote

“We've been looking so far on what are some ways we can decrease our Levy because we've heard from Council during the last budget process that Levy management is important.”

Explaining the strategic focus on reducing property tax levy growth.

AriCity Management/Staff

Co-presenter with Scott on budgetary recommendations and work plans.

NickCouncil Member

Active participant in the budget strategy session.

David HofCounty Administrator

Consulting with cities regarding the transition of assessing services to Hennepin County.

Places Mentioned

Edina (General)Hennepin CountyBrar ParkWal Ridge ParkTodd ParkCourtney Fields complexFred Richard's ParkBrar Arena50th and FranceMorningsideMaple Grove

Events & Meetings (1)

March 15, 2025: Budget strategy session

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