Rogers City Council — Transcript

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Resident Property Development Issues and City Regulations

Delinquent Utilities Assessment Process

2027 Proposed Preliminary Property Tax Levy

Votes (2)

Public Hearing for Delinquent Utilities Assessments (Item 5.4)

Passed (Unanimous voice vote among members present and voting)

Moved by Council Member [0:11:39] · Seconded by Council Member [0:11:43]

A council member requested clarification on Item 5.4, which called for a public hearing to adopt proposed assessments for delinquent utilities. Staff detailed the certification process: past due balances by August 31st, letters to property owners within two weeks, a public hearing at the first October meeting with an appeal process, and a payment deadline of November 13th before amounts are certified to 2027 property taxes. The discussion clarified the timeline and consequences for non-payment.

Adoption and Certification of the 2027 Proposed Preliminary Levy (Item 7.1)

Passed (4-0 vote)

Moved by Council Member [0:27:54] · Seconded by Council Member [0:28:13]

Staff presented the 2027 proposed preliminary levy of $20 million, representing a 19.28% increase over 2026. This translates to an estimated $275 annual increase for a median-valued home. The increase is driven by growth-related staffing (e.g., info systems service coordinator, patrol sergeant), inflationary operational costs, and the need to address previously deferred expenditures. Council members expressed concern about the significant increase, noting it's the highest in 12 years, but recognized the obligation to approve the preliminary levy by the September 30th deadline for Hennepin County, emphasizing that the final levy in December can only be reduced, not increased.

Notable Quotes (6)

Item 5.4 is calling for a public hearing to adopt proposed assessments for delinquent utilities. And so the process that we utilize for delinquent utilities is as of 8:31 we look at any past due balances and over a certain dollar amount they go through the certification process.

Staff [0:09:56]
Public Hearing for Delinquent Utilities Assessments (Item 5.4)

they have until November 13th to pay and then if amounts are not paid by November 13th it gets certified to their property taxes for payable. next year in 2027.

Staff [0:10:59]
Public Hearing for Delinquent Utilities Assessments (Item 5.4)

The preliminary levy is an estimate of the amount of money a city plans to collect for property taxes for the upcoming year. So the amount that gets set tonight will be used in the truth and taxation notices or those estimated property tax statements that get sent out in November to residents. And then one thing to note is that the amount that our preliminary levy is set at tonight cannot increase between now and December. Um it can only stay the same or decrease.

Staff [0:12:49]
Adoption and Certification of the 2027 Proposed Preliminary Levy (Item 7.1)

19.28% is a significant increase. Um, I don't think anybody would argue that point and as you can see from many news stories going on within the state that we aren't the only ones looking at significant increases and I know that council will continue to um scrutinize the requests that are in there.

Staff [0:16:11]
Adoption and Certification of the 2027 Proposed Preliminary Levy (Item 7.1)

yeah, years of 2% increase are catching up and they're catching up at a bad time after COVID. So, Ro isn't the same anymore. It's not We moved here because it was a nice little small town and now it's roundabouts and just crazy. All the farmers are gone.

Council Member [0:19:40]
Adoption and Certification of the 2027 Proposed Preliminary Levy (Item 7.1)

We're going to approve this tonight so that those truth and taxation statements will go out to everyone. We'll probably hear a lot from everyone when those go out, but we still have the ability to reduce it further um before December se first meeting in December. Um and so we at this point we are pushing it forward so that those statements can go out um because there's a deadline for that and then those statements will not be 100% accurate. They're just preliminary, right? Um and then the final word is in December. So we always do this. We do this preliminary um vote statements come out and then typically people will come talk to us when they see those.

Council Member [0:20:31]
Adoption and Certification of the 2027 Proposed Preliminary Levy (Item 7.1)

Ordinances & Resolutions (8)

Building PermitPermit

Permit obtained by a resident for property construction, leading to subsequent issues with city requirements.

Item 5.4Other

Agenda item regarding proposed assessments for delinquent utilities.

2027 Proposed Preliminary LevyPlan

An estimate of the amount of money the city plans to collect for property taxes for the upcoming year, subject to final approval.

Resolution number 2026-8Resolution

Official document for the adoption and certification of the 2027 proposed preliminary levy.

Capital Equipment PlanPlan

City financial planning document available on the website.

Capital Improvement PlanPlan

City financial planning document available on the website.

Financial Management PlanPlan

City financial planning document available on the website.

Truth and Taxation NoticesOther

Estimated property tax statements sent to residents in November, based on the preliminary levy.

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