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Nowthen City Council Work Session meeting, August 26, 2024

Council Work Session

Monday, August 26, 2024 · 6:00 PM

This meeting on the city's website ↗

Agenda

Not on file

What was on the agenda.

Packet

Open PDF ↗

The supporting materials the board reviewed.

Minutes

Open PDF ↗

The official record of what happened.

One-line summary

The Council held its third 2025 budget work session, discussed additional budget reductions and action items, and adjourned without adopting the preliminary levy.

What was on the agenda

3 items as recorded in the packet and minutes, each with a short summary of what was at issue.

  1. 1Call to Order / Roll Call / Approve Agenda

    Call to order, roll call, and approval of the work session agenda.

    The work session was called to order, roll was taken, the agenda was approved as presented, and the meeting later adjourned at 9:03 p.m. The minutes contain an attendance inconsistency because Alders is not listed in the roll call but is recorded as making the adjournment motion.

    The agenda was approved as presented by motion with 5 ayes recorded.

    • meeting administration
    Approved
    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2024-08-26)1\. Call to Order . Roll Call · Approve Agendap. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2024-08-26)Mayor Pilon called the session to order at 6:01 p.m. Roll call by Administrator Lehner. Present: Mayor Pilon, Council Members Rainville, Breyen, Fladebo. Also present: Finance Consultant Lori Yager, Deputy Clerk Johnson and Administrator Lehner. MOTION BY MAYOR PILON, 2ND BY FLADEBO TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED 5…
  2. 23rd 2025 Budget Discussion

    Third 2025 budget discussion; City Council was asked to bring previous budget books and review and amend the proposed 2025 budget.

    The Council continued its third work session on the 2025 preliminary budget, using Finance Consultant Lori Yager's memo from the prior budget discussion and looking for more reductions. Discussion covered licensing fee revenue, department reductions, staffing and compensation, dust control, legal and traffic-count questions, park signs and supplies, remaining 2024 expense estimates, and other funds still needing review. The minutes note that, if the discussed changes are made, the approximate levy would be 9.6%, but no preliminary levy was adopted at this meeting.

    The Council discussed additional possible budget reductions and action items, but the minutes do not record adoption of the 2025 preliminary budget at this work session.

    • 2025 preliminary budget
    Discussion only
    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2024-08-26)2\. 3rd 2025 Budget Discussion - City Council to bring previous budget booksp. 2Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2024-08-26)Action Requested: Review and amend proposed 2025 budget.p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2024-08-26)2\. DISCUSS FINANCE CONSULTANT YAGER'S MEMO WITH CHANGES & TRY TO DECREASE THE 2025 PRELIMARY BUDGET MORE.p. 2Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2024-08-26)The city council still needs to go thru the other funds, Recycling, Debt, Capital Improvement with Equipment Fund. # ACTION ITEM: COUNCIL MEMBER RAINVILLE GETTING CONTRACT FROM SUE DOLL FOR 2025. Next meeting September 16th at 6:00 pm. ADOPT ON September 23rd at 6:00 pm.
  3. 3Adjourn

    Adjourn the work session.

    The work session was called to order, roll was taken, the agenda was approved as presented, and the meeting later adjourned at 9:03 p.m. The minutes contain an attendance inconsistency because Alders is not listed in the roll call but is recorded as making the adjournment motion.

    A motion to adjourn was made and seconded, and the meeting was adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

    • meeting administration
    Approved
    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2024-08-26)3\. Adjournp. 2Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2024-08-26)MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALDERS, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO ADJOURN. The meeting was adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

Motions and votes

2 motions on the record.

  • M-1MOTION BY MAYOR PILON, 2ND BY FLADEBO TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED 5 AYES. MOTION CARRIED.

    Exact transcript text

    MOTION BY MAYOR PILON, 2ND BY FLADEBO TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED 5 AYES. MOTION CARRIED.

    moved by Pilon, seconded by Fladebo

    Passed

    5 AYES

    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2024-08-26)MOTION BY MAYOR PILON, 2ND BY FLADEBO TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED 5 AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
  • M-2MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALDERS, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO ADJOURN.

    moved by Alders, seconded by Rainville

    Passed
    p. 2Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2024-08-26)MOTION BY COUNCIL MEMBER ALDERS, SECONDED BY RAINVILLE TO ADJOURN. The meeting was adjourned at 9:03 p.m.

Prior history on this business

When someone referred back to earlier business, we found the matching prior discussion and tied it in here.

  • The council and staff met on August 15, 2024, to discuss the proposed 2025 Budget. Below is the result of this budget discussion:

    — Lori Yager, RTY Consulting

    What this is about
    The memo points back to the August 15, 2024 budget discussion and lists the resulting proposed 2025 budget changes.

    p. 2Meeting City Council Work Session — Agenda Packet (2024-08-26)The council and staff met on August 15, 2024, to discuss the proposed 2025 Budget. Below is the result of this budget discussion:

    Related history

    The records I searched do not include the August 15, 2024 budget discussion itself or the memo page listing the proposed 2025 budget changes, so I cannot verify from these results what specific changes came out of that discussion or whether a formal vote was taken that day. The closest related records are later budget-amendment materials. At the January 13, 2026 meeting packet, staff described a proposed amendment to the 2025 budget because legal, park maintenance, accounting, election, and Sheriff costs were higher than expected, while Administration was under budget due to reorganization. At the April 14, 2026 meeting packet, another proposed amendment would move $25,000 to Fire training, funded by $15,000 from Administration and $10,000 from Contingency, after a $49,518 State firefighter pension revenue/expenditure entry caused the Fire Department to exceed its 2025 budget. That April resolution also notes that the original 2025 budget had been adopted by Resolution No. 2024-105, but these search results do not show the August 15, 2024 discussion or the original adoption vote.

    • Apr 14, 2026### TITLE OF ISSUE: Approval of Resolution 2026-XX Amending 2025 Budget BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The Cit
    • Jan 13, 2026This page was left intentionally blank. <figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> ### REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <
    • Jan 13, 2026### TITLE OF ISSUE: Resolution Amending 2025 Budget BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The City of Nowthen is a Pl
    • Mar 10, 2026<table> <tr> <th>Description</th> <th>Fee</th> </tr> <tr> <td>SSTS Reinspection</td> <td>$95.00 per hour, 1 hour minimum
    • Apr 14, 2026Natalie Johnson Subject: Step Increases After conversations with Lori today, it is her opinion that we should hold off o
  • Changes made in previous meetings are listed on the Memo.

    What this is about
    The minutes refer to changes made at prior meetings that were listed in the Finance Consultant's memo.

    p. 1Meeting City Council Work Session — Minutes (2024-08-26)Discussion regarding what changes can be made to reduce the 2025 Preliminary Budget. Changes made in previous meetings are listed on the Memo.

    Related history

    The records I searched do not contain a prior decision matching this recollection. The search results include references to “changes” in land-use and subdivision memos in the February 24 and March 10, 2026 packets, and “changes” in actuarial assumptions in the May 12, 2026 audit packet, but they do not show a Finance Consultant’s memo listing changes made at previous meetings. Based on these results, there is no clear record of a prior council discussion, vote, or dollar amount tied to the statement that “changes made in previous meetings are listed on the Memo.”

    • Mar 10, 20261\. The City regularly receives inquiries from property owners, real estate professionals, developers and proposed purch
    • Mar 10, 20267\. The memo from the City Planner dated February 18, 2026 is incorporated herein by reference. The staff report from th
    • May 12, 2026## City of Nowthen Table of Contents <table> <tr> <td>Elected Officials and Administration</td> <td>1</td> </tr> <tr> <t
    • Feb 24, 2026Council approval, including demonstrating compliance with Section 10-3-5. If the comments from the City Engineer memo ar
    • May 12, 2026### 2024 Changes #### Changes in Actuarial Assumptions · Rates of merit and seniority were adjusted, resulting in slight

Where this came up before

  1. Apr 14, 2026
    City Meeting

    ### TITLE OF ISSUE: Approval of Resolution 2026-XX Amending 2025 Budget BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The City of Nowthen is a Plan A statutory city. Under Minnesota Statute, Plan A cities

    Doc### TITLE OF ISSUE: Approval of Resolution 2026-XX Amending 2025 Budget BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The City of Nowthen is a Plan A statutory city. Under Minnesota Statute, Plan A cities are required to adopt a budget annually
  2. Jan 13, 2026
    City Meeting

    This page was left intentionally blank. <figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> ### REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</t

    DocThis page was left intentionally blank. <figure> CITY OF NOWTHEN </figure> ### REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <table> <tr> <th>Agenda Item:</t
  3. Jan 13, 2026
    City Meeting

    ### TITLE OF ISSUE: Resolution Amending 2025 Budget BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The City of Nowthen is a Plan A statutory city. Under Minnesota Statute, Plan A cities are required to adop

    Doc### TITLE OF ISSUE: Resolution Amending 2025 Budget BACKGROUND AND SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: The City of Nowthen is a Plan A statutory city. Under Minnesota Statute, Plan A cities are required to adopt a budget annually. The budgets are pl
  4. Mar 10, 2026
    City Meeting

    <table> <tr> <th>Description</th> <th>Fee</th> </tr> <tr> <td>SSTS Reinspection</td> <td>$95.00 per hour, 1 hour minimum</td> </tr> </table> ## Planning, Zoning, & Development Fees <table>

    Doc<table> <tr> <th>Description</th> <th>Fee</th> </tr> <tr> <td>SSTS Reinspection</td> <td>$95.00 per hour, 1 hour minimum</td> </tr> </table> ## Planning, Zoning, & Development Fees <table>
  5. Apr 14, 2026
    City Meeting

    Natalie Johnson Subject: Step Increases After conversations with Lori today, it is her opinion that we should hold off on implementing until July 1, 2026. It will require an increase of $25,000 for th

    DocNatalie Johnson Subject: Step Increases After conversations with Lori today, it is her opinion that we should hold off on implementing until July 1, 2026. It will require an increase of $25,000 for the 2027 budget with the current employ

Sources

Documents and recordings archived for this meeting, when available.

The summary on this page is AI-extracted and may need correction. The PDFs and the meeting recording are the official record. What do the trust labels mean?