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MILITARY HEROES: Honoring past, present service men and women. PAGES 8-9
Concept plan proposes 149 single-family homes, 113 townhomes
Large levy increase accompanies debt service decrease
BY MADELINE DOLBY EDITOR
LINO LAKES — One hundred and forty-nine single-family homes and 113 townhomes have been proposed to be built in Lino Lakes, just north of Centerville. The planned unit development (PUD) concept plan for Peltier Ponds is being proposed by U.S. Home LLC, also known as Lennar. Lennar is responsible
BY LORETTA B. HARDING CONTRIBUTING WRITER
CENTERVILLE — Citizens will see a large levy increase for 2025 but have been promised a major debt service decrease for next year and the elimination of debt service altogether within five years. The total 2025 levy of $3.2 million increased by 7.7%, compared with the 2024 levy of $3 million. The general fund budget of $3.4 million increased 2.8%, compared with the 2024 general fund budget of $3 million. The reasons for the increases are twofold. The city’s expenditures increased by some $93,000, and its revenues decreased by some $192,000, Finance Director Bruce DeJong said. Not only does the city have to match that $93,000 in additional expenses with an equal amount of revenues to balance the budget, but it must also do so with revenues that come from somewhere else, such as increased levy dollars. Some reasons for expenditure increases for 2025 include $44,900 in employee cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and step increases; $29,456 in Centennial Lakes Police Department (CLPD) budget increases; and $17,633 in the fire contract, park maintenance and other increases. At the same time, the city lost a substantial amount of non-tax revenue that it relied on in 2024, such as the one-time state public safety grant and other state grant monies totaling $171,186. Due to its growth, the city is now excluded from the Local Government Aid (LGA) formula and will not receive the $25,315 it relied on in the past. With the absence of $192,601 in non-tax revenue and the $93,637 increase in expenditures amounting to 2.8% of the total budget, a $286,238 levy is needed to balance the budget for 2025. The city’s expenditures pay for public safety (police, fire and building inspections) at 48.4% of the spending pie. Running the government takes up 21% of the spending pie; public works, transfers out to fund equipment replacements, and street improvements make up the rest. Property tax money makes up 87.8% of the revenue pie; licenses and fees contribute 5.65% and fines and forfeitures bring in less than 3%.
for the Watermark development located directly across from the proposed development site on County Road 54. Currently, the property where Peltier Ponds is proposed to be built is owned by Hal and Pam Liebel, who reside at 7566 Peltier Lake Drive. According to City Planner Katie Larsen, their property, and a second property located at 7542 Peltier Lake Drive, will be exceptions within the proposed development.
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The Cafesjian Art Trust Teen Council consists of students from six high schools from around the North Metro area.
Centennial student joins 1st-ever teen council Steefel-Moore also oversees the council. She added that the group meets once a month at the museum. Beginning in November, group members will begin to learn more about the different careers in museum work and discuss which pieces from the museum’s collection will be featured in an exhibition of their own creation. Another goal of the council is to help implement a public program in the future.
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Six high schoolers from around the Twin Cities will spend the next eight months learning about museum work through the Cafesjian Art Trust (CAT) Museum Teen Council. This is the first year of the council’s existence. “This is an initiative that has been really important to Kathie Cafesjian Baradaran,” said Laura Steefel-Moore, the museum’s director of education and community engagement. “From day one, it was really important for her that we serve and engaged young adults, but particularly teenagers.”
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LINO LAKES 8121 Lake Drive
“One thing we are hoping to accomplish with this project would be to take Peltier Lake Drive and somewhat realign it. We would still keep the road right of way, but remove the physical street and put a trail there,” Larsen added. “So, then we would be creating a public value trail along the lake.”
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