The City of Minot is in budget season. Since March, city staff have been working on the preliminary 2025 budget passed by the council earlier this week. There is still work to be done before we give our final approval the first week of October. City Manager Harold Stewart and his team have remained true to his promise to hold the property tax levy to the same dollar amount as 2024. Most property owners should see a small property tax decrease when they receive preliminary tax statements in the next month or so.

Now the real work begins. City staff will hold virtual discussions for the public on August 14-16. Council President Mark Jantzer will deliver his priorities in the form of a letter by August 19. In September we’ll hear from city residents at the budget public hearing. The council will use all feedback to guide decisions on each line item in the final budget. It is my hope to continue to trim the budget and leave more money in the pockets of the taxpayer.

I have a few priorities for the 2025 budget. I am glad to see about $3 million in additional funding of road maintenance. Our resident satisfaction survey showed a desire for improved road conditions. We need to provide wage increases for city staff to keep their pay at appropriate levels. The City Manager and HR Director have devised a hybrid plan that combines market and time in position raises to keep the city competitive in recruiting staff. We also need to review our fund reserve levels to make sure we aren’t holding more taxpayer money in our accounts than we should. If we can accomplish these priorities, we will be on a path to a more sustainable future.

We are working hard to complete this process while city residents are enjoying the final weeks before school resumes and the wonderful fall season begins. I encourage everyone to be a part of the process, whether it’s funding certain services or departments you care about, or desiring your taxes to be lower. We need feedback to ensure our budget aligns with the expectations of the people. I am glad to be a part of moving our city in the right direction.