09 09 2026 CC Work Session MinutesCITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS
DAKOTA COUNTY
STATE OF MINNESOTA
Minutes of the City Council Work Session
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Pursuant to due call and notice thereof, a work session of the Mendota Heights City Council was
held at Mendota Heights City Hall, 1101 Victoria Curve, Mendota Heights, Minnesota,
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Levine called
the
work session to
order at 4:00 p.m.
Councilors Lorberbaum, Maczko
Mazzitello (arrived 4:17
pm), and
Paper
were in attendance.
Others present included: City Administrator Cheryl Jacobson, Assistant City Administrator Kelly
Torkelson, Finance Director Kristen Schabacker, Public Works Director Ryan Ruzek, Parks &
Recreation Director/Assistant Public Works Director Meredith Lawrence, Police Chief Kelly
McCarthy, and City Clerk Nancy Bauer,
FY2027 PROPOSED PRELIMINARY BUDGET REVIEW
City Administrator Jacobson reminded the Council of the preliminary budget approval schedule,
noting that the preliminary budget is scheduled to be presented for approval at the September 15,
2026, City Council meeting. She stated that if additional discussion is needed, an additional work
session and special meeting would be required. The approved preliminary budget must be
submitted to Dakota County by September 30, 2026.
Finance Director Schabacker reviewed the items approved for payment from the Fund Balance at
the previous meeting, including an administration study for the Fire Department, a lifting air bag
system for the Fire Department, the Valley Park Natural Resources Plan, pickleball resurfacing
at Friendly Hills, and a cell signal coverage study.
She also reviewed the approvals and changes to the General Fund Operating Budget, including
AI licensing; adding $10,000 to the Community Development budget for the Comprehensive
Plan; adding crime analyst hours while reducing Police Department licensing costs; reducing the
fireworks budget to $12,500; reducing the Parks summer concert series budget by $3,000;
reducing the Engineering Training budget by $1,000; and adding $660 for planning software.
The Parks budget for water was not reduced after reviewing the details for water usage through
one 2026; and adding the Fire Relief pension contribution to the budget.
Following these adjustments, the proposed levy was adjusted to $14,832,464, representing a
3.98% levy increase.
The council then reviewed several budget requests and reached consensus on the inclusion and
funding of items in the preliminary budget.
The Council recommended including the Public Works floor drain, with funding from the
Facility Reserve Fund,
The Council did not recommend funding for the replacement skid steer or John Deere Gator for
Public Works,
The Council discussed purchasing versus renting a forestry mulching head for Natural
Resources. It was noted that staff reduced the Natural Resources budget so that the mulching
head could be purchased. The Council reached a consensus to proceed with the purchase using
Fund Balance, contingent upon development of a plan outlining a maintenance schedule and
specifying how and where the equipment will be utilized.
The Council recommended funding the Spray Master Turf Applicator, with funding from fund
balance.
Finance Director Schabacker reminded Council that the Rogers Lake picnic shelter refresh,
Mendakota Park backstop netting, portable restroom enclosures, Kensington Playground
replacement and Friendly Hills dugouts were not funded.
Mayor Levine inquired about the IT Cybersecurity program. Finance Director Schabacker stated
that it had been included in the preliminary budget.
The Council discussed the community survey budget request. It was the consensus to not fund
the community survey.
The requested photo
software purchase was discussed.
Staff noted the advantages
of purchasing
the yearly license for
the software. It was the consensus
to fund the purchase from
the levy.
Council discussed the building plan digitization request. Public Works Director Ruzek explained
that the request was for a contract to digitize archived building plans and noted that the work
may need to be completed in phases. Mayor Levine added that digitizing the plans would free up
storage space. It was the consensus of the Council to approve funding for the request from the
Fund Balance,
Finance Director Schabacker recommended that $218,300 be allocated to the Depreciation Fund.
She reviewed items that would be added to the budget to be paid from the Fund Balance,
including $60,000 for the cell study, $20,000 for a replacement vehicle, $18,000 for Council
microphones, $15,000 for digitizing plans, $15,500 for a Fire Department administrative
structure study, $15,000 for rescue lifting air bag system, $20,000 for Valley Park natural
resources study, $30,000 for Friendly Hills pickleball court resurfacing, $30,000 for the
mulching head, $25,000 for the turf applicator, $218,300 towards the Deprecation Fund, and
$1,037,872 for ICS expenses which would be a total of $1,504,672.
The total preliminary levy would be $14,844,964 which would result in a 4.07% increase. The
proposed FY2027 General Fund expenditures total $14,688,962.
Councilor Mazzitello asked the Council to consider adding $1,000 back into the Engineering
Training Budget. It was the consensus to add the $1,000 back into the budget.
September 9, 2026, City Council Work Session Minutes Page - 2
Mayor Levine asked if there were any
additional
changes
or comments regarding the
budget. No
additional changes or comments were
provided.
City Administrator Jacobson stated that the preliminary budget would be presented to Council at
the September 15, 2026, City Council meeting and the public meeting also known as the Truth in
Taxation meeting would be held on Monday, November 30, 2026, and approved at the regular
City Council meeting on Tuesday, December 1, 2026,
Councilor Lorberbaum noted that Norton Realty would sponsor $12,500 for fireworks, if the
Mendota Heights Community Foundation could not raise the funds.
ADJOURNMENT
A motion to adjourn was made by Councilor Mazzitello, seconded by Councilor Paper, and
unanimously carried. The meeting ended at approximately 5:40 pm.
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Stephanie B. Levine, Mayor
ATTEST:
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Nancy Baer, City Clerk
September 9, 2026, City Council Work Session Minutes Page - 3