My fellow Isantian’s I am speaking to you today about our future. A future that is bright an exciting as it unfolds before us. We are at a pivotal point in our history. Isanti has passed the 5,000 population mark, expanded east of highway 65 and is working on a Comprehensive Plan for the next decade of growth. The decisions we make will affect not only us but the generations to come as previous decisions affect us today.
We must first be honest with ourselves and acknowledge past mistakes and endeavor not to make them again. Lack of planning, poor economic development, exploding city budgets and apathetic city government has left us many challenges to conquer.
The lack of planning and poor economic development has placed a heavy burden on Isanti’s tax payers. We must accelerate commercial growth in the next two years. Our small business community only generates 16% of our current tax base. Residential property generates 75% with another 5% coming from apartments. Growing our business community will lower our over all property tax rates. I will be vigorously working to bring in new businesses and helping current companies expand.
The City of Isanti paid to bring utilities and major roads to the east of highway 65 with an almost $5,000,000 bond. The promised commercial development has been slow to materialize. This is coupled with extensive road and brick sidewalk improvements to Main St in 2003 which more than doubled City debt. We unfortunately have seen a net loss of businesses along Main Street since this investment. This is a prime example of poor planning. An investment this large should never have been made unless it was part of a comprehensive economic plan to revitalize Main St. I was not on the Council at that time but sometimes we make the right decisions and other times we must make the decisions right.
As a new member of Isanti’s Economic Development Authority I will be calling for a comprehensive business development strategy for all of Isanti. This includes the current industrial park and all business districts focusing on Main St and the lack luster commercial growth east of highway 65. I look forward to partnering with the Isanti Area Chamber of Commerce in these efforts. Only through this process can we ensure greater business growth that will help lower all our property taxes.
Isanti’s City Budget grew by over 40% in the last two years. This unprecedented growth can not be allowed to continue in future years. A key problem has been Isanti’s lack of Long Term Financial Planning, (LTFP). One of my first acts as Mayor was to create a Finance Committee. I will be tasking this Committee, on which I serve, with creating the frame work of LTFP. The 1, 3,5,10 and 20 year budgets that will be generated out of this process will give every citizen of Isanti a view into the future of our City. The budget frame work will bring greater discipline to city spending. We will be able to prioritize city projects and expenses and properly plan for the first time. The Council will no longer make a spending decision without knowing how it will affect the current or future budgets and projects.
This is critically important when we are faced with several extremely expensive capital projects in the coming years. The list includes, liquor store expansion, industrial park expansion, city library, new city wells, water tower, sewer plant expansion, road improvements and water treatment plant to name a few.
We already have seen city debt person rise over 500% with our population increasing only 100% in the past 5 years. This equates to $400 in 2001 and well over $2,500 per person in City debt today. Our current city debt severely limits our options and adds weight to the need for LTFP especially considering no exiting debt is retired until 2014.
LTFP will also give us the frame work to lower property taxes and city fees. I will be working this year as I have in the past two years to lower property taxes. My first year on the Council, in 2005, I was proud to vote for an 8.7% tax reduction. In 2006 my 12% tax cut plan was rejected. I will again present a budget with a significant tax cut and hold the line on City spending this summer.
Economic growth, LTFP and lowering property taxes are the most important items of my agenda. There are other agenda items that I will also be working on in the next two years. These include the following; Tougher Conflict of Interest Policy, Residential Handbook, Safe Routes for Children, Safe Guarding Distinct Isanti Neighborhoods, completion of the Development Impact List, Board and Commission Reform, Environmental Protection, Traffic Mitigation and Mosquito Control.
I have asked the City Council to add several items to our Current Conflict of Interest Policy. This includes members leaving the chambers when conflicts arise and a one year moratorium on voting on matters arising from the conflict. This last item will end the practice of declaring a conflict one week and then after a specific transaction start voting at the next meeting. The added items will also make it clear that the conflict is not project based but rather person or company based.
My Residential Handbook will include the following:
· List of Pertinent City Ordinances
· List of City Fees and Taxes
· List of key Definitions including Easements and Right of Way
· Chart showing where your Property Taxes are Spent
· Copy of City Budget
· List of City Officials with Contact Information
· City Map with Government Buildings and Trails & Parks clearly marked
There will be other items added as well but I wanted to highlight some of the areas covered. This will be a communications tool to help all, but especial newer citizens.
Safe Routes has been a priority my last two years on the Council. I have fought for sidewalks along major road ways including county highway 5 and 23. I have made a pedestrian bridge across 65 a top project. I have also been a proponent for walking school buses. School District 911 does not provide busing within certain distances of school. Walking school buses can help provide greater safety for students at a minimal cost. I would prefer we offer safe busing everywhere but I also understand in tough situations we must find some alternatives to solve safety issues.
Isanti has a few remaining distinct neighborhoods, some of which date to the City’s founding. We must protect these areas of our city to ensure our history is not forgotten and provide a diversity that is all too often lost in cookie cutter development.
The Development Impact List will drive the creation of planning tools to calculate the impact of development. The planning tools will then dovetail into the short and long range budget and planning process. The goal of these tools is to bring a clearer focus to both the positive and the negative issues of our Rapid Residential Growth. It will ensure that future Planning Commission Members, Council Members, and Isanti Citizens will know the impact and cost of our planning decisions. The list currently includes the following:
· Road construction and maintenance cost
· Traffic impact
· Water capacity
· Sewer capacity
· Police protection
· Fire protection
· City staff time
· Park and trail maintenance
Board and Commission reform revolves around two key points, elimination of conflicts of interest and training for our members to ensure they are making the best decisions possible.
Traffic mitigation is one of the toughest problems for a growing city. We have tremendous growth and then seem surprised by traffic congestion. We need to provide and educate our citizens about alternating routes, establish more noticeable school zones and provide better pedestrian crossings of our county and state highways that divide Isanti.
I want to talk about environmental concerns. Isanti needs to look at opening up and changing landscaping and drainage standards along with developing a storm water ordinance. This could include varying landscaping or the use of rain gardens to help control water run off.
Permeated materials for driveways and parking pads instead of concrete and asphalt. We must seriously explore all solutions to our environmental concerns. Wildlife corridors and environmentally sensitive development will ensure a city that will be prosperous, safe and beautiful for generations to come. Once a structure is built it will in all likelihood never revert to an open area ever again. I believe being a good steward of the land God has given us is a sacred duty.
Seems like a long list I know. If we have the will and a Council that will act it is all achievable. We have a lot of work ahead of us but the reward is great. Our time is now. Seneca once said “If a man does not know to what port he is sailing no wind is favorable”. I know the port I want to sail to. I ask you to join me in the great journey we are now beginning.
