The Crookston Ways and Means Committee met on Monday night following the City Council meeting and discussed grant distributions after receiving presentations from the local non-profit organizations.
For the 2024 preliminary budget, the city has allocated $125,000 toward grant distributions for non-profit organizations. Last year, the city awarded a total of $122,480 in grant funding toward the Crookston Area Seniors Association, Downtown Crookston Downtown Partnership, Scruffy Tails Humane Society, Ox Cart Days, and Tri-Valley Opportunity Council. This year, the non-profits requested a total of $271,375, nearly $150,000 more than the budget.
Although action cannot be made at Ways and Means meetings, there was strong consensus for the three organizations and their requests. Those being: The Crookston Aquatic Booster for $6,000 for funding Ox Cart Days (with the condition that funds can only be spent on fireworks), Tri-Valley Opportunity Council for $15,000 to operate more full-time buses in Crookston, and Scruffy Tails Humane Society in the amount of $20,000 for facility improvements. Nothing is finalized, and the organizations will be under further review for their requests.
PROPOSED TAX LEVY DROPS FROM 65.09% TO 24.9% (DUE FOR ADJUSTMENT)
The City of Crookston passed the preliminary tax levy at a staggering 65.09%. After discussing with department heads and deciphering “wants” from “needs,” the new proposed levy presented to the committee has dropped substantially.
The new proposed levy (which cannot receive action right now) is adjusted to 24.09%, which is a 40% decrease. “We discussed this evening the original preliminary levy that was passed,” said City Administrator Corky Reynolds. “That was a 65.09% increase in our levy. The council then said ‘City Administrator, Finance Director, go back and see where these levy amounts might be adjusted to and create reductions.”
Significant reductions that were presented are cuts in the Finance Department. Specifically, the addition of an accountant position for which $70,000 would be allocated. “The ways and means committee said, ‘take a look at that accountant position,’ said Reynolds, “So we’ll look at that and discuss it shortly.”
The committee also saw major reductions in the Community Development budget and continued further discussion on adding a Marketing Coordinator position, which would cost the city $60,000 in salary.
The Information Technology Budget showed cuts in the software and programming updates that were not considered “needs” as of now and could be delayed for one year.
Other department budgets listed in the reduction presentation were City Hall, Police Department, Fire Department, and total budget expenditures. “All of those department heads put in significant time and effort to identify three levels,” said Reynolds. “One, What do we need? Two, What would we like to have and will need in the future? Three, what would we love to have?”
Level one items that Reynolds described have been kept in the budget thus far, level two things (categorized by future needs), the city is removing a number of those, and group three items (categorized by wants) are being heavily reduced.
To watch the City Council and Ways and Means Committee, click here.
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