By Logan Wells, News Director | Logan@kymnradio.net
The Northfield City Council meets tonight for a work session meeting to continue discussing the city’s budget and tax levy for next year. In August, three proposals were presented to the council with tax levy increases of 14.5%, 9.9%, or 3.0%, and staff have brought forward a new option of a 12% tax increase. The impacts on a house valued at $350,000 would be between $48 – $324 in higher taxes a year.
There are two major items that are causing the increase in the city’s budget this year: the ice arena and city staff.
Let’s start with the Ice Arena. With the construction of the project approved this spring, the council also approved the cost of the project, which was $22.9 million in total cost to taxpayers. If all else were held equal, the city’s overall tax levy would have to increase by 8.4% to pay for the arena. With city staff, there are no new positions, but wages are set to increase based on existing labor contracts.
However, these two cost items, the Ice Arena and employees, were higher than any tax levy increase the council was willing to consider, meaning budget cuts will be in necessary. The size of the scope of the budget cuts depends on the size of the tax levy increase, ranging from $578,000 to $2.6 million in cuts.
Listen to the News:
Previous Stories:
- 2026 Budget Proposals Presented to Northfield City Council; Budget Cuts Range Between $578,000 and $2.6 million (August 15th)
- The Northfield 2026 Budget & Tax Levy Proposal Explained in 100 Words, 300 Words, and 500 Words (August 15th)
At tonight’s meeting, the City Council will ask additional questions and indicate a preference before the council adopts a preliminary levy and budget next Tuesday. The Preliminary Levy sets the maximum possible tax increase for next year. City Administrator Ben Martig says it’s a marathon, not a sprint, to December when the final tax levy and budget are approved:
“This is, I’d say, we’re really into the meat of things now. So we’ve got some real options on the table… So then in October, we’d be basically getting some feedback from the public, the Council would be looking a little bit into the next year, and then in November we’d come back to refine any changes into the final adoption in December. So we’re in the thick of things now in our budget process.”– Ben Martig, Northfield City Administrator on KYMN In The Morning
Utilities Rate Discussion:
On the same line as the budget, the Council will review the utility fees the city collects and the increases in those fees. The city collects four different items in the utility bill: water, wastewater (sewers), garbage removal, and stormwater. Here’s City Administrator Ben Martig:
“We’re updating our five-year analysis related to those. And so we’ll have some rate analysis for a five-year that ties with our operations and capital planning for those.” – Ben Martig, Northfield City Administrator, on KYMN In the Morning
City staff are recommending:
- Water – 9% increase
- Wastewater (Sewer) – 3% increase
- Stormwater – 5% increase
- Garbage – 6% increase
View the staff memo with the cost impacts here. We will also have a story further explaining this topic in future newscasts.
The public is welcome to attend this evening. At the work session meeting, public comment is not taken, and during work sessions, no votes are taken as well.
Tonight’s meeting starts at 6 pm in the Council Chamber of the Northfield City Hall.
Newscasts on KYMN air on weekdays at 6am, 7am, 8:30am, Noon, 3pm, and 5pm. If you miss it live, you can subscribe on your preferred podcast app:
> Click here to listen on Spotify
> Click here to listen on Apple Podcast
Do you have a news tip or press release? Send it to us email: Logan@kymnradio.net
