Accurate Coverage of State of the City

Link to State of the City Address

 http://isanticountynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9769&Itemid=59 

Interesting Cambridge Isanti Comparison

Industrial/Commercial development has to be done right...... even with the commercial development in Cambridge their Property Tax Rate is over 15% higher than Isanti's rate. When I was elected Cambridge's Property Tax Rate was lower than Isanti.... the past few years they have steadily increased their taxes as we have lowered.... just an interesting fact to ponder....

Presenting Doug Woog with Jersey

Mayor Wimmer, Coach Woog and Local Mite Hockey Team at Lindell Rink in Isanti

Isanti's own Steve & Steph Lindell's winning rink in the Backyard Rinks 2011 Competition 

Interesting

The City can not hold a referendum on spending money on the Community Center even if it wanted too. A City may only place certain specified items on the ballot and a community center is not one...

NLX light rail is Dead

http://abcnewspapers.com/2011/02/18/county-changes-course-on-nlx/

Pedestrian Bridge Project Needs to End

I asked the Council last night to end the Pedestrian Bridge project but lost the vote 4-1. When this project started I had promised I would only do it if we received all the federal trail funding and that no City Taxpayer money would be used to build this project. All the Federal funding did not come and there would not be enough park fund money to cover the $370,000 plus city portion which means taxpayer money would need to be used.

I also believe we live in a different time. The rules around park funds is that it can only be used for new park land or equipment but the interest we make off this money can be used. The interest income form this money is over $126,000 and can be used to make up for the lack of state funding Isanti is owed which would allow us to balance our budget without having to raise taxes.

The second part of this is that there is a $22,000, cost to the City, under ground power line going through Blue Bird park that the Park fund could pay for if it were not bankrupted by the Pedestrian Bridge. Now the $22,000 has to come from taxpayers.

3rd part revolves around $60,000 plus loan from the City General Fund, taxpayer money again, that would have to be issued to the park fund to pay for the bridge.

4th issue is if we do the pedestrian bridge the city will not be able to do any park and recreation activities for at least 5 years according to my best calculations....

Lastly if we cancel the Bridge project the City can sell the House and property we bought for right of way adding another $100,000 plus to the City....

$308,000 worth of reasons to cancel this bridge.... At a time we are looking at cutting services this project makes no sense

State of the City Help

I am giving the State of the City tomorrow at tbe Chamber Luncheon. The Chamber does not have a projector and one is needed for tomorrow. If you have one and willing to let us use it please contact me at 763-442-8749

Community Center Referendum

There is a great deal of passion regarding the Community Center and I think the best way to settle it might be by letting the Voters of Isanti decide if they want to spend the funds necessary to refurbish this building and pay the taxes required to do so.... This is what should have happened for the new Isanti City Hall that was built in 2005... I am looking to see if we can place such a thing on the 2012 general election ballot... What do you think?

Bad News

It is looking more and more that the East 65 expansion debt that the previous Mayor and Council burden us with is going to trigger higher water and sewer charges.... We tried to refinance but the State has made that to costly... we are still looking at other options but the options are quickly disappearing.... I especially hate this as I voted against this costly expansion and the taking of property from a private landowner.....

Senior Dining

I am speaking at senior Dining tomorrow. Always a great group and fun time.... They ask some of the hardest questions....

February 1st City Council Update

We approved our 3 year Police Union contract last night. The contract extends a 2nd year of zero pay increase on top of last years zero pay increase. There is a 1.5% increase in 2012 and a 2% increase in 2013. The major change was moving our Police Union employees off of the Gold health care plan that will save the City considerably over time. This move increases the cost sharing of health with our employees while maintaining a good health care plan. This shift has been a long term goal that we were finally able to achieve to ensure as efficient an operation as possible.

We recognized the great work by Officers Barrows and Gau at the Meeting last night.