Budget Season
The next Winthrop City Council meeting is Monday, Sept 14th, at 7:00 p.m. We have a regular Council agenda and we will also have our final Preliminary 2027 Budget Workshop. The public is, as always, welcome to attend. City Council will have to certify a Preliminary 2027 Budget by the end of September, and the plan is to accomplish that at this meeting. Once the Preliminary Budget is set, we can lower but cannot tax above that amount. The Final 2027 Budget has to be certified by the end of December.
City Council and staff worked together to find areas where the budget can be reduced without major impacts on services to residents, and those cuts will be discussed at the Budget Work Session. As a Council member, working on a budget is a balance. Just as everyone does with their own household budget, Council is responsible to establish a plan for the City that meets our needs today and also plans for the future. As individuals, many of us do preventative maintenance on our cars, we fix our roof before it starts to leak, and we save for retirement. We manage these expenses today so that they do not overburden us in the future. Our city faces the same kind of current demands and future challenges. Establishing a budget is hard, and it often means making difficult decisions. It is listening to real requests and needs from residents, it is evaluating the budget requests from city department heads we know and trust, and it is trying to fit what we can into a tax levy that is manageable for our community.
While we have been looking at a budget for 2027, for reference, here are highlights of the 2026 budget at work. Our Ambulance and Fire Department are well-staffed and running smoothly. The Library had great attendance for the summer reading program, sponsors popular adult programs and has increasing circulation statistics. The splashpad opened in June along with some updates to the park shelter and restrooms, and the park has been very busy. The Winthrop EDA assisted with Gunnar’s Bar & Restaurant opening. The EDA has also been involved with the 17-Mile EDC with Gibbon and Fairfax, which is a joint effort to promote business development in our area. The Police Department worked on the Tri-Line proposal (a combined department with Gibbon and Gaylord). Though this proposal has not been enacted, the planning process was an opportunity to evaluate future plans and possibilities. The STREAMS project (a proposed regional water treatment plan) is continuing work through development and engineering stages, and City staff has invested time into that process. Public works staff has worked hard for residents, making sure our utilities run smoothly, doing electrical upgrades, and maintaining our streets and parks all year. After recommendation from staff, Council authorized a new software system for public meeting agendas and minutes, which streamlines the process. It also includes a public calendar and opportunities for residents to find information about all upcoming meetings.
If you have questions about anything at the City of Winthrop or what might be on the horizon in the 2027 budget, please ask. Stop in or call the City Office (507-647-5306), where Heather or Michael can answer questions and provide information. You can reach me at mayor@winthropmn.gov or 507-722-4189, and all Council members’ emails are listed on the City website.
Mayor Julie Trebelhorn