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Councilmember Bauman did not want the City of New Brighton to jump on the bandwagon and just raise taxes <br />because everyone else is raising taxes. She reported that household incomes are not going up and people did <br />not have more to give. <br />Councilmember Jacobsen supported the 3.86% increase for streets. He believed the City's plan worked for <br />streets and wanted to continue paying cash for improvements. He suggested the Council's focus shift to the <br />additional 3% in operating expenditures. <br />Councilmember Strub discussed how he paid more for City services in 2007 and 2009 than he would pay in <br />2016 for the same City services. He supported staff's original budget. He commented that he was not hearing <br />complaints from his constituents that City services should be less. He believed that the City was providing <br />services in an efficient manner that should continue into the future. He was hearing from new residents that <br />they wanted more and not less. <br />Mayor Jacobsen discussed the maintenance cost of maintaining the City's current level of services. He <br />requested further information on the City Forester position. Parks and Recreation Director Brueur explained <br />the position was hired as a Public Works maintenance worker with a forestry background. <br />Mayor Jacobsen believed that the City's trees were an asset that should be properly maintained. For this <br />reason, he supported the work completed by the part-time City Forester. <br />Councilmember Bauman discussed the increases that have occurred ($95,000) in the Public Works department <br />since 2014. She explained that numerous cities maintain their trees without having a "City Forester". She then <br />provided comment on the renovations that were completed at the Community Center and did not believe the <br />City would ever receive a return on this investment. She questioned why all residents should be made to pay <br />for this asset when not all residents utilized the amenity. <br />Mayor Jacobsen discussed the importance of the City properly maintaining its assets. He explained he was <br />not hearing from the public that the City should get rid of the Community Center. <br />Councilmember Burg agreed that residents were seeking more rather than less with respect to the City, its <br />programming and park amenities. <br />The Council turned their discussed to the proposed 3.86% tax levy for street improvements. <br />Councilmember Jacobsen believed there was Council support for the 3.86% tax levy for streets. Lotter stated <br />if this was the case, and the additional 3% was not supported, cuts would have to be made in other areas of the <br />budget. <br />Davitt expressed concern with any cuts to the staffing levels. She explained that a portion of the staffing <br />increases was to cover the expense for election judges given the fact 2016 was a major election year. <br />Councilmember Bauman was interested in eliminating Council meals and memberships as this would save the <br />City close to $20,000 in the budget. <br />Councilmember Strub discussed the importance of the I -35W Coalition as this may assist the City in receiving <br />a sound wall. He believed it was valuable to have a lobbyist or advocate working on behalf of the City of New <br />Brighton in addition to the work being completed by Director Schlichting. He stated that he recommended that <br />the City also continue to support CPY. He reiterated that the proposed 2016 budget would have him paying <br />