08-29-2023 Work SessionCITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
City Council Work Session
August 29, 2023
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Supple called the work session to order at 4:19 p.m. in the Bartholomew Room.
Council Members
Present:
Council Members
Absent:
Mary Supple, Mayor; Simon Trautmann; Sean Hayford Oleary; Ben Whalen
(participating remotely due to a medical reason); and Sharon Christensen
Staff Present: Katie Rodriguez, City Manager; Sack Thongvanh, Assistant City Manager;
Dustin Leslie, City Clerk; Chris Swanson, Management Analyst; Melissa
Poehlman, Community Development Director; Chris Link, Public Works
Deputy Director; Mike Dobesh, Fire Chief; Amy Markle, Recreation Services
Director; Kumud Verma, Finance Director; Chris Fierst, Liquor Store
Manager; Jay Henthorne, Police Chief; Jennifer Anderson, Health
Administrator; Kate Aitchison, Communications Manager; Joe Powers, City
Engineer; Lisa Paradise, Assistant Finance Director; Kim Griffith, Motor
Vehicle Licensing Supervisor; Scott Kulzer, Administrative Analyst; Jenell
Wood, Assistant Fire Chief; Michael Williams, IT Assistant Manager; Jane
Skov, IT Manager
ITEM #1 PRESENTATION OF THE 2023 REVISED/2024 PROPOSED BUDGET AND TAX
LEVY.
City Manager Rodriguez introduced the topic and thanked staff for their hard work on the
budget.
Finance Director Verma gave the presentation covering the following: budget timetable, key
events, general fund revenues, 2024 proposed tax levy, general fund expenditures, and city reserves.
Mayor Supple noted that the pool is no longer running at a deficit and asked if this would be
the case going forward. Finance Director Verma stated she did not know for sure if it would stay in the
black but was likely to perform better than in the past.
Finance Director Verma continued the presentation covering the following: proposed tax levy
impact on the average household, history of state aid received, city financial overview, 2024 proposed
general fund budget, certified tax levy history, staffing updates, and long-term financial forecasts.
City Council Work Session Minutes
-2- August 29, 2023
Finance Director Verma presented the Finance Department budget covering staffing updates,
budget highlights, and goals.
Community Development Director Poehlman presented the Community Development
Department budget covering departmental overview, budget highlights and notes, goals, and future
considerations and needs.
Public Works Deputy Director Link presented the Public Works Department budget covering
departmental overview, core services, general fund budget, enterprise funds, internal fund budget,
budget notes, departmental highlights, goals, and future considerations and needs.
Council Member Hayford Oleary asked to explain the difference in work done between Public
Works and Parks and Recreation. Deputy Director Link explained how parks and building
maintenance differed between the two departments.
Recreation Services Director Markle presented the Recreation Services Department budget
covering departmental overview, budget overview, recreation programming overview, revenue and
expenditures, facility overviews, 2023 highlights, goals, special revenue funds, and special facility
highlights. Markle also presented an update on the department’s sustainability program.
Fire Chief Dobesh presented the Fire Department budget covering departmental overview,
budget overview, goals, and future considerations and needs.
Council Member Trautmann asked where funding for fire vehicles and equipment comes from.
Chief Dobesh stated it comes out of the Public Works budget.
Assistant City Manager Thongvanh presented the Administrative Services Department budget
covering departmental overview, budget overview, divisional overviews and highlights, and initiatives
and goals.
Liquor Store Manager Fierst presented the Liquor Operations budget covering operational
notes, budget overview, highlights, and goals.
Police Chief Henthorne and Health Administrator Anderson presented the Public Safety
Department budget covering departmental overview, budget overview, budget highlights, goals, and
future considerations and needs.
City Manager Rodriguez presented the Legislative and Executive Department budget covering
departmental overview, budget overview, City Council highlights, City Manager highlights, goals, and
future needs.
Mayor Supple thanked everyone for their work on the budget.
City Council Work Session Minutes
-3-August 29, 2023
ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Supple adjourned the work session at 6:40 pm
Date Approved: September 12, 2023
Mary B. Supple
Mayor
Dustin Leslie Katie Rodriguez
City Clerk City Manager