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Stewartville Council adopts 2025 budget and tax levy, approves fire and public-works purchases
Summary
The Stewartville City Council unanimously approved the citys 2025 final budget and a 2024 tax levy collectible in 2025, authorized multiple equipment purchases for the fire department, and passed a series of administrative resolutions; development fee increases were deferred for further study.
The Stewartville City Council approved a package of budget, levy and capital items at its December meeting, adopting a $11,879,814 final budget for 2025 and certifying the 2024 tax levy collectible in 2025. Council voted to adopt the budget and levy after a short presentation from staff and finance; both motions passed by voice vote.
Council also approved several capital purchases and service agreements. The council authorized the replacement of Rescue 2 with a 2025 Hyman build, following the fire committees recommendation; staff said the acquisition will be funded through the fire department capital plan. The council approved a joint cooperative purchasing resolution and the procurement of Scott-brand SCBA units, with staff noting $299,758 in public-safety aid received in December 2023 is eligible to be applied toward that purchase.
Other approvals included renewal of a Limited Use Permit with the Minnesota Department of Transportation allowing the city trail alongside Highway 30 to remain in place, authorization for the city administrator to sign a master services and supplemental professional services agreement with SEH (covering work through 2026), and authorization of a Smith firm engagement to perform the 2024 year-end audit and prepare the GFOA certificate application.
Council moved and approved routine finance actions including a year-end cash-flow request to use designated enterprise retained earnings for water and sewer projects and two GASB 54-required resolutions to classify and commit fund balances. The council also approved a public-works purchase of a 16-foot trailer and a resolution designating the Civic Center as Stewartvilles polling place for 2025.
A number of administrative personnel and operational items were approved by voice vote: warming house seasonal hires, permission for an end-of-month check run to process payables, and a letter of support to Olmsted County on a revised land-use plan amendment language that preserves city review opportunities for urban service area amendments.
Votes at a glance (outcomes based on motions recorded at the meeting): - Approve agenda: carried - Approve Nov. 26, 2024 minutes: carried (one abstention recorded) - Allow end-of-month check run and approve accounts payable: carried - Purchase 2025 Rescue 2 (Hyman): carried - Authorize joint SCBA cooperative purchase and buy Scott SCBAs: carried - Adopt orderly annexation resolution (High Forest Township): carried - Approve preferred library layout plan: carried - Renew MnDOT Limited Use Permit (Highway 30 trail): carried - Authorize SEH master/professional services agreement: carried - Approve use of enterprise retained earnings (year-end cash flow): carried - Adopt GASB 54 fund/reserve resolutions: carried - Approve 2025 final budget ($11,879,814): carried - Adopt 2024 tax levy collectible in 2025: carried - Approve fee schedule items highlighted in yellow and defer development fees for workshop review: carried - Approve Smith audit engagement: carried - Approve warming house hires: carried - Designate Civic Center as 2025 polling place: carried - Approve 16-foot public-works trailer purchase: carried - Authorize letter of support to Olmsted County on land-use plan language: carried
The councils actions were largely procedural and administrative, with the most substantive debate focused on the proposed fee-schedule changes (see separate article). The meeting adjourned after staff reports and community announcements.
