Meeting record · Richfield, Minnesota
Work Session — Tuesday, August 29, 2023
4 items on the record
Read this day's brief Official records (city portal)
Items on the record
Item 1Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Presentation of the 2023 Revised/2024 Proposed Budget and Tax Levy
The 2023 Revised and 2024 Proposed Budget and Tax Levy was scheduled for presentation to the City Council at this work session, giving council members an opportunity to review figures and provide direction to staff before a formal vote. The proposed 2024 tax levy was a 5.90% increase over the 2023 adopted levy, with the General Fund budget proposed to grow 6.76% over the 2023 adopted level. Finance Director Kumud Verma was expected to walk through general fund revenues and expenditures, staffing updates, utility rates, and long-term financial forecasts, with formal approval of the preliminary levy scheduled for the September 12, 2023 City Council meeting.
Item history
Item 1Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Change Order Approval for Soil Retention System on 65th Street Reconstruction Project
A change order was on the agenda to design and install a soil retention system along 65th Street as part of the ongoing 65th Street Reconstruction Project, after unexpected soil conditions were discovered near the Lynvue Apartments requiring an H-pile with timber lagging wall. The estimated cost for this unplanned work was approximately $850,000, far exceeding the project's remaining contingency of roughly $10,848. Staff was expected to investigate potential funding sources and whether any external parties, such as developers, could share responsibility for the added costs.
Item 2Outcome pendingfinal tally arrives when the city publishes the minutes
Authorization for Sanitary Sewer Crossing Construction Work Order with MnDOT (I-494 Project 1)
Authorization for the City Engineer, City Manager, and Mayor to execute a construction work order with MnDOT and the I-494 Project 1 design-build contractor was on the agenda, covering the construction of a new sanitary sewer crossing beneath I-35W. The existing 9-inch clay sewer at that location serves the 77th Street business district, has a long-standing flow capacity issue, and conflicts with proposed I-494 bridge abutments — making the timing of the broader I-494 project a cost-saving opportunity. The city's estimated net expense was approximately $500,634, to be funded from the sanitary sewer utility fund.
Discussedinformational or procedural item — no vote taken
2024 Budget Preview and Preliminary Levy
A 2024 budget preview and discussion of the preliminary property tax levy was scheduled as part of the city's annual budget planning process, with the proposed 2024 levy of approximately $28.27 million representing a 5.55% increase over 2023. Key cost drivers included labor increases, inflation, and a 39% jump in the rolling stock, equipment, and technology levy, partially offset by a significant $1.35 million increase in Local Government Aid. The average Richfield homeowner with a $318,000 home was projected to see roughly a $98 annual increase — about $8.19 per month — in city property taxes.
Item history
- Aug 2, 2023 · Work Session · Under Review
- Aug 29, 2023 · Work Session · This item
Official documents
Last updated Wednesday, April 8, 2026 · AI-assisted summaries — the official documents above are authoritative.