HomeMy WebLinkAbout1993 [12] Dec 07
Page 2441
December 7, 1993
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, the City Council for the City
of St. Joseph met in special session on Tuesday, December 7, 1993 at
7: 00 p. m. in the St. Joseph City Hall.
!:1~J!LI:?g1::"~_ P!::.~~ß_Dj;: , May 0 1"~ Don a I d "Bud" Rebe1"~. Councilors Ross Rieke, Bob
Loso, Ken Hi emenz, Stephanie Hazen. Deputy Clerk Judy Weyrens.
Others_ Pre'§"~I1:t1- Al Eich, Lee Kapsner, Dick Tal.lfen, Mat~y Gener~ous.
Mayor Reber stated that as mandated by the State of Minnesota two
hearings will be held to p1"~esent information regarding taxat ion. These
heat~ings also pt~e sent an oPPOt~t un it y for citizens to ask questions
regarding the City b'-,dg et. Mayor Reber then turned the hearing ove1"~ to
Deputy Clerk Weyrens for a brief presentation of the P1"~oposed 1994 City
budget.
Weyrens presented infot~mation on the following:
*Tax evaluation and how it effects YOI.n~ p1"~ope1"~ty tax.
*Illustration comparing the amount of tax a property ownet~ pays per
day with the p1"~ ice of a daily newspaper and cable television.
*Brief description of City set~v ices Sl\ppo1"~ted by tax dollars.
*Annexations during the yea1"~ of 1993 included 78 parcels totaling
182.01 aCt~es.
*Details of the 1994 pt~oposed expenditures totaling $1, 561, 055.
*Impact wages of City employees and contractors fees on the City
budget f01"~ the years of 1992, 1993, and 1994.
*Wages and benefits of City employees b1"~oken down by depa1"~tment
Mayor Rebet~ then invited those present to ask questions.
Q. Al Eich: What is this surtax, and what does that amount to?
A. Two years ago the City Council implemented sut~cha.,.~ges in the
amount of $1.00 per month for each water and sewer. This
sut~cha"'~ge was established to p"'~ 0 v ide funding fot.. utility
projects as necessary; so as not to assign large assessments
to property owners for the same. FI.n~t h e.,.~. the state s'.n~chat~ge
of $1.00 per billing period must be collected and submitted to
the State of Minnesota to provide fo.,.~ I e ad t est in g. The City
has also established hook-up fees to help off-set the cost of
the l\t i li t y system.
Q. Lee Kaspner: I received a fifteen ( 15'1- ) i nct~ease in taxes -
why?
A. Did the valuation of you.,." home inc","ease?
Q. Lee Kapsne.,.~: Yes, why?
A. A hea","i ng is held by the County in spring to discuss p1"~ope.,.~ty
valuation which determines the tax assigned a pt~opet~ty. YOUr~
property tax reflects not only City taxes; but also those
assigned by the County and School Di sh~ict. FI_wthet~,
valuation is detet~mined by the City Assessor, Ollie Lesnick,
and suggested that the 1"~esident might contact him fot~ fl-'t..ther~
information. The Mayor stated that Mr. Lesnick was i nfo.,.~med
that valuation in St. Joseph was low and he needed to make
adjustments accordingly. Perhaps this was the reason fot~ the
Pa¡;: e 2442
December~ 7, 1993
i nCr~ea s e. Aft er' r'evie~oJ of the r~esident' s tax statement it was
decided that a nineteen (191-) per~cent i nCTease in City taxes
based on an increase in va ll.\at ion in the amount of $3,000
seemed excessive and pet~haps an et~r~ot~ had been made.
Hazen asked fot' c I è:n~ i fica t ion of the levy and ~oJhat it r'e pt~e sent s.
Weyrens explained that levy t~eflects the numbet~ of dollat~s t~eq ue s t ed
fr'om the st at e to support the budget. The amount levied to the State
fDr~ the City of St. Joseph is $157,342. The levy includes the amount
n ece s sar~y to s 1.\PPOt~t the 1992 bond issue. At this point the budget may
not be i nct~ea s ed, bl..\t the levy may be d eCt~ea s ed.
Q. Al Eich: How do the Ci ty taxes compa'r'e to Albany? The
population is about the same.
A. Ma y 0 t~ Reber~ 'r~e spond ed that we have not done a compa'r~i son with
other~ cities except in r~e ga'r~d to wages. Weyt~ens refet~t~ed to a
bulletin pr~epared by the State of Minnesota entitled
I,Jndgr~st.aDd_iD_q, \(o_uJ:' p~~gp~r~ty_ T ax_ wh i ch i llustr~at es pr~opet~ty tax
of cities in tr1innesota. Some cities of cOlllpa'r'abl e population
wer~e tr1eh~ose and Gr'an it e Falls.
Q. Al Eich: ~.Jhy can't we get mot~e money fr~o m the college?
A. As mandated by the State the pt~oper't y held by the convent and
cQllege is tax exempt. The pr~esence of the college and
convent in the community pt~OV ides benefits to include: payment
fot~ wat et~ and sewer' set'vices, patr'on i z in 9 local businesses,
and payment of assessments fOr~ impt'ovement pt~oj ect s.
Q. Al Eich: But when they buy pr~O per't y it's t ak en off the tax
roll?
A. Yes, bl..\t the City has no cont t~O 1 o v et~ pt~oper~t y being r~emoved
f'r'om the tax r~O 11 when pl_\i"cha sed by the convent 0'1" college.
Q. Lee Kapsnet~ : Do we have two pat t~O 1 car~s ?
A. Yes
Q. Lee Kapsner~: Only one on duty thol..\qh?
A. Sometimes t h e'r~e is a need fot~ both.
Counci lOr' Rieke art~i ved at 7:28 p. m.
Counci lOr' Hazen questioned i nfot~mat ion listed in the second dt~a ft of
the budget r~evision t~egat~ding operatin~ expenses, d e pat~t m ent 41130.
Hazen also had ql_\est ions abol.\t an inct~ease in the amount budgeted fot~
election expenses.
WeYr~ens explained that at the time of the ot~iginal bl..\d g et pt~epat~at j, on
the two elections that will be held next we'r~e oYer~l ooked. The expenses
i ncur~r~ed by an election ar'e high. Fot~ example, $520 is t~equir~ed to
pt~ovide softwar~e SI..\PPOr~t for each machine alone. Wages fo'r~ an election
amount to about $3,500.
Q. C 1 at~ence F i scher-': I paid $10,000 fot~ my lot and I' m being
taxed at a r~at e of $14,000 in valuation. Why?
A. The Co 1..\11 C i 1 is not her~e to d i s C 1..\ S 5 these matters tonight, bl..\t
t her' e ~.J i 11 be a meeting you may wish to attend in Apr'il.
I Page 24'+3
Decembet~ 7, 1993
Hazen questioned an addition to salar"ies fOr~ elections and sevet"al
othet~ costs involved in the election budget.
Mayot~ Rebet' suggested that further questions regarding the bl_\d g et be
discussed after closing the hearing.
Mayor Reber closed the Tt~l..\th In Taxation hearing at 7:37 p. m.
Discussion followed regarding the pt~opt~i et y of allowing questions in
relation to the budget at the same meeting as the Truth in Taxation
Hearing. Clarification was given by Deputy Clerk Weyrens by 1'''efer1'~ing
to !3'-L:ld~J._i.ne!;_ f9_C F.~Te...Q.ªt'....1.D..,g_ C~.i.Y- ª-""~ºJl.?j~_<~_ ,!.9_9_~t prepared by the Leagl_\e of
Minnesota Cities. The Council was in g en et~ë:\l agr"eement to allow a
question and answer period at this time.
Mayo1'~ Reber then opened the floor to questions and a brief discussion
followed. It was determined that at the December 15t h , 1993 Tt~uth In
Taxation Continuance Hearing the City Council w i J.J. also be pr~epa1'''ed to
discuss the bl.\dget in depth and make adjustments as deemed necessary.
Clar~ification on items in question should be discussed with Weyrens Or~
I City Cle1'~k Rachel Stapleton pt~ i 01'~ to that meeting.
Hiemenz made a motion to adjourn at 8:09 p. m. ; seconded by Hazen.
Ayes: Reber~, Rieke, Loso, Hazen, Hiemenz.
Nayes: None. Mot ion Car~r~ied 5:0:0
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