BREEZY POINT
— The Breezy Point City Council discussed its final budget and levy proposal for 2024 and potential grant funding for a trail along County State Aid Highway 11 at a workshop Thursday, Nov. 16.
The final proposed 2024 budget levy is $3,213,518, which is a $260,779 (8.8%) increase over 2023 and a $13,404 (0.5%) decrease from the preliminary levy the council approved Sept. 5.
That final preliminary tax number includes:
- General Fund Levy: $3,189,868
- Economic Development Authority Levy: $3,650
- Cemetery Fund Levy: $20,000
- Debt Service Fund Levy: $0
Increases to Breezy Point’s contributions to the Pequot Lakes Fire District account for approximately 34% of the total levy increase. Those total contributions are $114,840 for operating, $176,529.53 for capital and $14,644 for the relief association.
Also contributing to the increase are changes to wages and benefits for city employees, including a new salary plan from competitive wage analysis approved in August and the hiring of a full-time planning and zoning administrator.
According to values from Crow Wing County, Breezy Point taxable property values saw an average city-wide increase of 12.7%.
Tad Erickson, transportation planner for the Region Five Development Commission, and Matt Kallroos, transportation planner for the Crow Wing County Highway Department, spoke to the council regarding potential grant money for a proposed trail along CSAH 11.
The trail would accommodate pedestrians and non-motorized vehicles on CSAH 11 between Breezy Point and Pequot Lakes. With access for schools along the trail, the project is also a part of the Safe Routes to School program.
Does this fill a regional trail? Does it connect to other regional trails? (The scoring committee) wants to see those connections to other trails, and they don’t want an isolated trail.
Tad Erickson
The Transportation Alternatives Program Solicitation for Fiscal Year 2028 grant that the city and county are seeking for the project would require at least a 20% match of funding from the city of Breezy Point.
To compete for the grant funding, a number of factors surrounding the project are taken into account.
“Does this fill a regional trail? Does it connect to other regional trails? (The scoring committee) wants to see those connections to other trails, and they don’t want an isolated trail,” Erickson said.
“Obviously this is just phase one, but you can talk about the future phases in the application that will be a Safe Route to School. It’s identified in the Safe Routes plan that it will connect with Eagle View (Elementary School),” he said.
While grant applications and preliminary planning for the proposed trail are already under way, construction on the first phase of the project would not begin until the 2028 fiscal year.
While the proposed trail would be built on a county right of way, it would be owned and maintained by the city of Breezy Point.
To submit a January grant application, Crow Wing County requires the council to approve two resolutions at its December regular meeting, one to apply and the other to agree to maintain the trail.
The council also saw a demonstration of the Questica Budget Software that it approved purchasing for use by city administration at its Monday, Nov. 6, regular meeting.
Breezy Point Mayor Angel Zierden was not in attendance.
Tom Fraki, staff writer, may be reached at 218-855-5863 or tom.fraki@pineandlakes.com.
