Glenwood’s ’23 preliminary levy is up by 7%
News | Published on October 3, 2022 at 11:18am CDT
By Tim Douglass
Glenwood City Commissioners approved a 2023 preliminary budget and levy that calls for a 9% increase over this year’s levy.
The city’s administration gave the commissioners a preliminary budget and levy a few weeks ago that reflected an 8.6% budget increase over 2022 and a 13% levy increase over the 2022 levy, but commissioners were not comfortable with that increase.
When discussion started last Tuesday night on the preliminary budget and levy, City Administrator Dave Iverson and City Finance Director Brenda Sargent had provided resolutions with the levy increasing 7%, 8%, 9% and the 13% recommended by city administration a month ago.
Commissioner Todd Gylsen, who was acting mayor in Sherri Kazda’s absence, cited the current inflation rate of 8.5% set by federal officials and said that he wanted to see the budget reflect the 8.6% increase, “otherwise were just going backwards.”
But that budget would increase the 2023 levy by 13%, a number the other three commissioners said they were not comfortable with.
“It’s a preliminary budget,” Gylsen said. “We can always decrease it and shrink it down” before adopting the final budget and levy, he added.
“But we just never do that,” responded Commissioner Donna Martin.
“People are discouraged now and we need to work hard to get the best value we can for the citizens of this city,” Haynes said.
Commissioner Mavis Pattee said she favored reducing it to a 9% levy increase and Commissioner Neil Haynes agreed. “In light of all the information we have right now, the inflation rate and other factors, I think 9% is a good place to be, at least preliminarily,” Haynes said.
Iverson did point out that with Brenda Sargent retiring at the end of the year, the cost of filling her position as the city’s Finance Director is still unknown. He said the expense for that position would be known by the time the budget is finalized, however.
Pattee asked Iverson what he thought of reducing the preliminary levy from 13% to 9%. “We will make it happen if that’s your wishes,” Iverson responded.
Most of the cuts to reduce the budget were coming from the street department and the police department, Iverson said. He also noted that city employees were budgeted for a 3% increase in wages for 2023.
Pattee made a motion to set the 2023 preliminary budget, including the preliminary property tax levy at a 9% increase over 2022. That means at this point, the preliminary property tax levy is $2,036,928. That figure includes $1,919,402 in general fund; $107,716 in bonded indebtedness; and $9,810 in tax abatement.
Haynes seconded the motion and it passed with all members present voting in favor.
Because it is a preliminary budget and levy, it can only be reduced in the final budget and levy that will be approved in December.
In other business, the commission:
• Approved a request from the Glenwood Lions Club to purchase new windows for the Chalet building in Barsness Parks. The Lions will be paying half of the cost to replace the windows, which was estimated at $6,082.25, according to Glenwood Lions member Craig DeJong. The city will pay the other half. Pattee thanked the Glenwood Lions Club for contributing to the maintenance of the building. The Glenwood Lions Club donated the Chalet building to the city in 1954. The windows have not been replaced for 50-60 years, DeJong estimated. The new ones, he said, will all be double-hung windows with a slight tint to reduce heat in the building during the summer.
• Approved a request from the Glenwood Lakes Area Welcome Center for the closure of a block of 1st Street NW for a Community Trick-or-Treat event.
• Approved a request from the Glenwood Gun Club to construct a third “trap-shooting” house on city-owned land adjacent to the existing gun club. The commission authorized Iverson to work it out and amend the two leases that are involved with the expansion.
• Moved the regular city commission meeting from Tuesday, Nov. 8 to Thursday, Nov. 10, due to the General Election that will take place on Nov. 8.
•Accepted the resignation of Parks department worker Adam Duchene and authorized administration to seek a replacement.
• Accepted the resignation of Glenwood Police Officer Josh Ronning and approved taking Glenwood Officer Isaiah Testa from parttime to fulltime.
• Approved the final payment of $9,499.52 for the Ravine Stabilization Project along Highway 29 North in Glenwood.
