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Council begins 2027 budget review: airport grant, library shortfall and building-inspector software costs
Summary
During the Ways & Means session the council reviewed 2027 budget items including a proposed $150,000 mower for the airport with a $105,000 state grant and $45,000 local match, a library tax-supported shortfall of roughly $16,000, and a building-inspector software subscription estimated at $11,005.80.
The Crookston City Ways & Means meeting began with staff postponing the administration budget and moving into department budget reviews. City staff presented the Airport Fund (229), the library budget (Fund 211), and the building-inspection budget, among other line items.
On the airport budget, staff said they are budgeting a proposed $150,000 mower purchase for airport maintenance. The state grant portion was described as $105,000 with a local match of $45,000. Staff also said maintenance-and-operations grant funding will be awarded as a two-year $72,000 award, which reduces the 2027 budgeted M&O revenue to $36,000. Professional-fee lines for engineering were reduced because current and upcoming projects will be covered under capital grants.
Grayson, the building inspector, told council he anticipates permit revenues for 2027 around $76,075 and explained that building activity is volatile; he highlighted a new GoGov permitting/subscription service and listed an anticipated subscription cost of $11,005.80 for the city. Grayson said the city would reimburse that cost from the community improvement fund and that the software would streamline permit intake and rental permitting for the fire department.
On the library budget, staff presented a tax-supported budget around $306,505 and noted a projected shortfall of about $16,000–$16,867 that would be covered by levy adjustments or reserves; staff explained the city’s share of Laurel’s operating expenses increased to roughly $276,630 and offered to follow up with Laurel for a more detailed breakdown.
Council members asked routine questions about year-to-year differences, professional fees and where subscription expenses were recorded. Staff said they would follow up on specific line-item questions and that field work on the city’s audit had just started.
