9-15-25 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FINAL BUDGET HEARING

Unofficial Pembina City Special Council Meeting Minutes for September 15, 2025

Date: Wednesday, September 15, 2025

Location: Professional Building

Council Members Present: Mayor Fitzgerald, Norby, Needham, Carattini, A Huttunen (arrived late 5:43pm); Snitker, Flores absent

Guests: Stoiber, City Auditor; R Fleming, City Attorney; Phil Hall; Ben Kneeshaw, Ted Symington

Public Portion called to order 5:30pm by Mayor Fitzgerald

  • Phil Hall admonished council they should be planning years into the future, not just the coming year, especially for large projects; can funds be set aside to pave end of 2nd St.?

Public Portion closed at 5:34pm

Special Meeting called to order at 5:34pm

  • Discussion on City being asked to supplement organizations that don’t do much fundraising on their own
  • Discussion on what mills/levies can be changed and should they be
  • Discussion on fact that City hasn’t raised property taxes in years (until 2024), and if General Fund is reduced, eventually City would be unable to run and would cease to exist
  • Motion by Needham to reduce Flood/Crisis to .5 mills ($880.44) and leave rest as is; 2nd by Carattini; move to discuss; Mayor Fitzgerald reiterated that reducing the General Fund is not an option as the City has to be able to function and the prices of everything are going up, not down; the library, rec board, and cemetery could be reduced, but not in their best interests; due to future projects, Capital Improvements mills shouldn’t be reduced either. Motion amended by Needham to reduce the Flood/Crisis Fund to .5 mills ($880.84) and certify the levies to the County as follows: General Fund $178,852.58; Emergency Fund $880.44; Library Fund $1760.88; Cemetery Fund $3521.76; Recreation Fund $4402.20; and Capital Projects $17,608.80 for a total levy of $207,026.66, seconded by Carattini; role call vote—ayes: Needham, Carattini, Norby; nays: A Huttunen; absent: Flores, Snitker; motion carries.

 

Motion to adjourn at 6pm by Norby, 2nd by Needham.

 

By: Mayor Fitzgerald

Attested to Stoiber, City Auditor

 

The next regular City Council Meeting will be held on September 15, 2025, 6pm at the Professional Building