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Isanti council weighs funds for community sign and a communications specialist
Summary
Council discussed setting aside EDA or liquor-store funds for a dynamic community sign and debated hiring a communications specialist (grade 12) with shared allocations versus contracting out marketing work; staff estimated a general-fund impact of about $44,500 at step 1 and a fully burdened annual cost near $110,000.
City staff asked the council whether to earmark funds for a dynamic community sign and whether to include a proposed communications specialist position in the 2026 budget.
On signage, staff said the city might use Economic Development Authority (EDA) funds for a community sign and discussed a liquor-store sign that could generate a return if placed on secured land. Council members proposed leaving liquor-store fund balances untouched until land is secured; staff will continue outreach to property owners and review permitting rules (including possible MnDOT constraints for off-premise signs). One council member suggested exploring leasing a private sign while permanent land is secured.
Staff presented a communications specialist job description and allocation model, noting the position is grade 12 with a proposed allocation (25% admin, 10% parks, 10% planning/zoning, 10% water, 10% sewer, 5% storm, and 15% liquor). Staff estimated the general-fund impact at step 1 at roughly $44,500 and said a fully benefited, mid-range cost for the position could approach $110,000 annually. Council members expressed concerns about adding a full-time, benefit-bearing position that might be difficult to cut later. Multiple council members suggested contracting out social-media and marketing tasks, relying on interns, or using part-time/contract arrangements to control costs. One member recommended exploring AI tools to automate routine tasks before hiring full-time staff.
Staff said the communications position will remain out of the initial draft for now and that the council will revisit the idea after the preliminary budget sessions.
Next steps include continued staff outreach on sign availability and permitting, and refining communications staffing options once the council has greater clarity on fiscal capacity.
