Council works on budget
September 8, 2011 at 1:50 am in The Jamestown Sun
The Jamestown City Council tackled a projected $600,000 difference in the 2012 preliminary budget compared to the 2011 Jamestown budget during a special meeting Wednesday. The starting point for the process was a $6.6 million preliminary budget compared to about $6 million in current year spending.
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“We burn a lot of money in temporary people for snow removal,” he said. “We could save up to $200,000 if people are willing to live with longer snow removal times.”
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How much longer do you want us to wait? The snow removal in Jamestown is atrocious already. Some of the roads in town are virtual impassable for days after a big snow.
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I can’t help but to agree we already wait far too long to have the city plow our vehicles in a few days after a blizzard. This is also a safety issue on top of being a convenience issue.
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The City doesn’t even plow the emergency routes anyway. Now with the hospital being out in the middle of of nowhere, we’ll all have to be airlifted there during the winter months. Fire Reed Schwartzkopf.
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“We will balance this budget,” said Mayor Katie Andersen. “I anticipate that we will balance the budget at the same mill levy as last year.”
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I’m sure they’ll just raise assessed property values to make up for maintaining the current mill levy. That way, even though our taxes will go up, the Council will be able to say that they didn’t raise taxes.
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Buffal Bill,
Assesments are a big part of the formula for determining how much each property tax payer will pay when calculated with the certified mill levy. This year we anticipate that total valuation for the city of Jamestown will be up 2.2%. This is total valuation, and therfore does not mean that every property owner will see an increase of 2.2% in their property evaluations. The total valuations are also influenced by property improvements and new construction.
Assesments are not raised to “make up” any deficiencies in property tax revenue. We are regulated by state law for how assesments must be made.
The assesment of property is regulated by sales ratios. The city is required by state law to be within 95-100% of market value for all property sales. Jamestown is in compliance with this state law. It is very important for the sales ratios to be accurate. If a property is severely under valued for assesment for example, it was valued at $50,000 and sells for $100,000, this single sale can impact everyone’s evaluations. The same is true if the values are too high. The Board of Equalization meets annually to attend to concerns from individuals who may beleive their property is valued too high (or low). This is the venue to bring valuation concerns to the City Council.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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wow, increasing spending 10%??? that’s an awful lot, when revenues are not icnreasing at that rate. Where’s all the additional money going? wages are going up 4%, where’s the rest going?
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Tony T. Tiger,
A couple other major expenses should be noted. The Worker’s Compensation will be increasing 47.2% because the 50% employer discount will not be in effect for the next budget cycle. Employee pension is also up 31.8% because investments are down and the ND PERS has increased teh contributions 1% to the employer and 1% to the employee. We also have a few projects that must be taken care up to be in compliance with pass through (unfunded) mandates.
The budgeting process is not easy, but I believe that the complete evaluation of all city expenditures is the most important job for the city council. We must be responsible and prudent with public dollars. Transparency is also very important to me throughout this process. If you have questions on the budget of would like to observe the budget process the meeting are open to the public. You may also email me at MayorKatie@ND.gov or call me at city hall 252-5900.
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How does it feel to address your response to one going by the internet handle of “Tony T. Tiger”? Somedays I think the internet is totally gggggrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeat!
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Katie not to get off the beaten path but what is the outlook and future of bringing in new buisnesses in jamestown. What does it take and why cant we see anything new come to town. We have an industrial park that has ONLY 3 local buisnesses. Are we gonna make use of this area or are we as a city looking to expand to new and brighter ideas to help the city of jamestown??????
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parent, Businesses are leaving Jamestown not trying to get in Jamestown. Take a walk around the mall. People shop in Fargo and Bismarck they don’t need to expand to Jamestown what part of that don’t you understand. Jamestown can not even support a book store. If you want to see a progressive city visit Aberdeen SD and compare it to Jamestown.
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Petunia, if you read my post it says,” What does it take and why cant we see anything new come to town. ” I as a resident would like to see something in this town. I agree, the buffalo mall is terrible. I cant honestly think the last time i was in there. But we need to try to bring something to this town. It is a great community.
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No significant business is going to start up in Jamestown because it’s losing population. Businesses want to go where there is growth and the simple fact is that Jamestown as virtually the same population it had in 1960.
In that same time, Fargo has added.55,000 people, West Fargo up by 20,000, Bismarck up 30,000, and the list goes on.
Growth spurs growth and Jamestown doesn’t have it. I actually foresee a drop of up to 500 people by 2020.
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Have you been to Valley City lately? So if the answer is yes, you must agree that it could be worse. I think we’re at least going to hold down the fort and not fall into the doldrums of poverty. I’m actually reconsidering even eating Pizza Corner pizza knowing it’s made in the Calcutta of North Dakota. Jamestown has potential for significant economic growth.
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I haven’t been in VC for several years, but then I haven’t been in Jamestown for several years either, and for the same reason: nothing there.
The only real difference between the two is Jamestown is about 10 years behind VC in its deterioration. Valley City started down the road to decline a little sooner but Jamestown will catch up.
Both towns are almost solely dependent on ag and a few ag related businesses and nothing is going to change that. Look at the population drop in the 10 counties surrounding Jamestown. It amounts to about 4000 less people shopping in Jamestown and that’s killing you.
A city needs to reach “critical mass” with it’s population and business growth, meaning where it’s large enough that the growth spurs on new growth and it’s seen as a place where businesses want to be.
The Fargo and Bismarck metro areas are clear examples of this, but Aberdeen, SD at 26,000 people and no large cities nearby would also be an example.
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If you want to use shopping malls and downtown areas as signifiers of economic growth than you’re looking in the wrong places. That’s indicative of a totally different phenomenon.
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I think one of the biggest problems is people complain about the lack of businesses, but fail to shop at the ones that are there. If you can’t even remember the last time you visted the mall it is obvious you don’t shop there. Businesses are not going to move there if they can’t even garner the support of the locals. It is easier for them to build in Fargo and advertise in Jamestown, as that is where most of the people from Jamestown shop anyway.
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We’ve tried to shop in Jamestown but it seems like many of the local businesses don’t really care. It’s virtually impossible to get some places to return calls, emails, etc. Customer service is pitiful, at best.
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Can you imagine what it would be like if you did the entirety of your Christmas shopping within the city limits of Jamestown? Some business is deserved, some isn’t. Let’s be frank.
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I’m pretty sure business isn’t coming here because Connie Ova of the JSDC is really good at chasing them away.
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I’d say businesses aren’t coming to Jamestown because they remember what happened to Leever’s.
The city council seized their property through eminent domain and gave it to Hugo’s. So much for fairness towards your existing businesses.
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I didn’t know that, Fred. Very interesting!
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Yep, absolutely true. It’s now illegal to do that, but the Jamestown council got away with it back in the 90′s. That is why you will never see me buy from a Hugo’s anywhere, or buy groceries in Jamestown. That was the dirtiest trick ever pulled under the guise of “economic development”.
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How do you NOT buy your groceries in Jamestown? Man, this town sure is full of loonies.
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Marko, I DON’T live in Jamestown, so it’s really easy.
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Before you make a judgement on this matter, it should be made known to all that Leever’s/County Market purchased a small building on what is now the parking lot of Hugo’s for the sole purpose of preventing any competition entering the area. Call it what you want, but I don’t feel bad for too many businesses that play dirty like that.
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It should also be known that Leever’s/County Market got more than what that property was worth. It wasn’t “given” by any means.
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That was Frank Chase who decided that Leevers and County Market needed competition because they were owned by the same company.
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It was the ND Supreme Court who made the final call and approved the eminent domain. A mis-carriage of justice?
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I’ve always felt the NDSC made a terrible mistake on that ruling. Fortunately, ND voters back in, I believe 2006 passed an initiated measure that outlaws this practice. There was nothing dirty about Leevers buying part of the lot before Hugo’s could.
Look at this way, and I’m addressing this to David. Say I wanted the lot where your house was built on, would you approve of Jamestown saying we are taking it away because Fred wants it? I don’t think so.
Jamestown simply cannot come up with any economic development without using tax money to promote one business over another. The steam generation plant is typical. They got a taxpayer subsidy, and promptly shut it down after they got the money.
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Your analogy is extremely simplistic and flawed. The portion of the area purchased was done so for the purpose of preventing competition in the area. Leever’s/County Market had no intent of using the area for any gainful reason. The dominant reason was, as they themselves admitted, to prevent competition. It’s hard to argue something that they admitted to.
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where is our mayor on all this. It would be interesting to hear what has been or is trying to be done in Jamestown. As far as Ponder goes, the reason why i havent been in the mall is why? we need more selection. You remember back in the 80′s when that mall was full all the way through?? I had heard rent was a big issue running places out.
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I can understand the need for more selection, but my point is why would a new business open in a mall with no people? People have stopped shopping local so no new businesses are going to open.
It is a sad cycle that starts when people quit shopping local, and Bill mentioned the start of it. If owners are losing money they either have to underpay people or under staff the store leading to bad customer service. By shopping local you can get the owner some extra money that they would (hopefully) pump back into the store.
There are also a lot of people complaining about the lack of effort shown by the Mayor and council, but by shopping in Fargo or Bismarck you are also giving those cities your sales tax money. From what I found Jamestown has a 2% city sales tax, which the city could use to help businesses.
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I don’t know if the mall was ever all the way full. I remember reading that when KSJB moved into the mall, the area they occupied had never been rented out in all the years the mall was opened.
Seriously, I remember the Buffalo Mall being touted as a “Regional Shopping Center” (there’s that phrase again) when it was being built. Looks like it didn’t work out too good, did it.
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parent said:where is our mayor on all this? In Fargo shopping.
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Parent you are correct about the rent being an issue. when the mall change hands the rent went up and businesses were required to be open when the mall was open. Ponder why would you shop at a business that either doesn’t have what you need, prices it sky high or could care less if you shop there.
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C.H. Carpenter has called it quits.
http://www.jamestownsun.com/event/article/id/144183
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Anyone who has spoken with anyone in town knew this was happening quite some time ago. That being said, the place pillaged the town for years, refusing to keep up their own place! I mean, who wants to shop at a lumber yard that looks so shabby itself? Plow the place over for all I care.
Only thing is, if they plow it over, Jamestown would just put in another park.
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No surprise. You can get much better deals at Menards, Lowes, or Home Depot. It’s interesting that the C H Carpenter lumber yard in Valley City is remaining open. So much for the myth that Jamestown is miles ahead of VC.
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I’ve constructed a figure which compares both economies by GDCP, or Gross Domestic City Product, if you’re interested in getting the real facts you can PM me.
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It’s likely they have a larger share of the market area in VC. No surprise there. Smart guy like you should know that.
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