---

A split vote September 10 by North Branch City Council adopted a maximum amount for next year’s levy and budget. The 3-2 vote was indicative of the ideological chasm separating budgeting approaches—with one side trying to boost revenues and meet needs after years of fairly basic budgeting versus the two council members who viewed this budget as “extravagant and irresponsible,” as lame duck Council member Kelly Neider put it.  

She stated her job is to look out for the townspeople, not the employees.

 Council member Robert Canada disputed this in voting with the majority,  saying “...we’ve got to get away from doing the minimum” when setting property taxes.

Council member Travis Miles declared doing what is right for addressing personnel operational needs IS doing what is right for townspeople.

Mayor Kevin Schieber added that the need for several squad cars, as one example of budgeted items for next year, doesn’t crop up overnight. Things have been deferred for years and he worries about reaching a crisis point, supporting instead an “incremental” budget escalation. He said addressing staffing issues, reducing overtime and workloads, is not pampering employees, but it is how the city meets taxpayer expectations.

Council member Miles reminded the council this action sets a maximum.  Between now and December line items can be shifted or reduced to develop the final budget.  The General Fund levy total amount adopted last week — $7,717,357 just can not be hiked.  

Council member Peter Schaps thought one or more of the new positions being budgeted for next year might be hired out, which he thinks would save money.  He asked why North Branch couldn’t use a sheriff deputy ($74 per hour rate) to help cover the police department, which is slated to add one officer next year.  Schaps expressed surprise when he was told the newly built parcels coming onto next year tax rolls are bringing approximately $136,000 in additional property tax revenues.  “I thought it would be more,” he remarked during that part of the financial discussion.

The public hearing on a final levy is scheduled December 2 at 6:30 p.m. at city hall.  This will be citizens’ last opportunity to have any input.  Estimated tax statements based on preliminary maximum levy numbers and the latest market valuations go out in the mail in coming weeks.

The old Perkins Restaurant on the east side of the freeway has fallen into disrepair and is being vandalized, council heard.  Most recently it was briefly operated as the North Branch Family Restaurant but anyone responsible for the property is proving difficult to locate.  Nate Sondrol, zoning and code division, said he needs council to adopt a resolution allowing the city to send a final official notice to one identified party on file—and announce plans to enter the property to secure it.  Cleanup, mowing, window boarding-up and other tasks can be performed by the city and costs put onto property tax as a lien, if the process is followed.

Council agreed 5-0 to move forward.

~The 20-year franchise ordinance to allow Minnesota Energy Resource to use the city for distributing its natural gas product was approved.

~ Council acknowledged public works staffer retirement for John Goshey.

~ Greg Schneller was approved to build a warehouse at 1,930 square feet, on his parcel at Ash Street and Grand in the industrial park.

~ Fireworks display was permitted at North Branch High School September 27 as part of homecoming events.

~ Cannabis related ordinances on the agenda were deleted at the meeting start, and staff said they need more fine tuning.

The 2023 audit by Clifton Larson Allen was presented.  The product was somewhat delayed, the accounting firm rep explained, due to required reconciling and correcting for water and light utility “significant transactions,” and general financial cleanup (ie: uncashed checks, deposits lacking sufficient collateral.)

All in all, North Branch had a “pretty healthy” unrestricted balance going into 2024 covering at least six months of expenses.

The liquor stores transferred $100,000 into city coffers.

Speaking of the municipal stores, the CBD and THC product sales given the green light recently by council are going really well, operations manager Carla Golden reported.  Store sales together are up 11 percent over numbers posted in August 2023.

A new firm, Abdo, was awarded next year’s audit contract for $46,750.  This was the recommended quote of three firms.

---