TOWER— The city council here adopted a preliminary levy of $470,921 for 2027, a six percent increase over the current year’s assessment. The need for city vehicle replacement— including a 4x4 plow truck, a brush rig for the fire department, and a new chassis for the older of the city’s two ambulances at a combined estimated cost of $355,000— built the case for the higher levy. Additional debt service for the public works facility will add $36,224 to the city’s expenses next year, while the city’s share of the cost of its new ranch hangar at the airport will add $33,000. That building, however, should eventually generate rental income for the city.
These anticipated needs, along with other more minor cost increases, pushed the city’s budgeted general fund expenditures for next year from the expected $784,460 in 2026 to $1.156 million next year. Total city expenditures are expected to rise to $2.866 million, up from the $2.066 million budgeted in 2026.
Members of the council expressed some reluctance over the levy increase. The city has kept its levy increases well under the regional average in recent years and a six percent increase would be the largest in several years for the city.
Bob Anderson questioned the need for a new plow truck after the city bought a new truck earlier this year.
“We only have so much money to work with,” he said.
But Mayor Dave Setterberg said the new truck was for the main streets, while the old plow truck that needs replacing is for alleys and other tighter spots where the big truck can’t go. In her budget narrative, clerk-treasurer Tammy Mortaloni noted that the truck had broken down several times last winter. While it’s only ten years old, Mortaloni indicated that the truck had a lot of hard miles on it.
“It doesn’t hurt to put it in the budget,” said council member Joe Morin, who noted that the council would still have to make the decision to move forward with a purchase. He then made the motion to approve the six percent preliminary levy.
After a bit more discussion, Setterberg teed up the question. “So, are we everybody feeling comfortable?” he asked.
“I never feel comfortable,” responded Anderson, which brought a laugh around the room.
“Then, is everybody willing to surrender?” asked Morin, to more laughter.
The council then voted 4-0 to approve the preliminary levy as proposed. Council member Kevin Norby was absent, as was Mortaloni. The council can still reduce the final levy between now and December but cannot raise it any higher.
In other business, the council again heard under public input from former ambulance supervisor Jen McDonough, who spoke again about the conditions that led to her recent resignation and her frustrations with the mayor. She again urged the council to include her 44-page response to allegations that she was insubordinate or aggressive in her personnel file and in an upcoming council packet.
“I told Tammy [Mortaloni] that I experienced the mayor’s manner toward me as condescending, that I felt I was being treated unfarily, and that I believed some of that treatment was related to being a strong woman serving in a leadership position,” she stated. “Have women who have served in city leadership positions over the years ever been independently asked about their experiences?” McDonough asked. “If not, I respectfully ask the council to consider doing so and allow those individuals to describe their own experiences in their own words. I am not asking the council to simply accept my perception as fact. I am asking the council to examine the concern.”
In other action, the council:
• Heard a report from Anderson who said he is doubtful that moving forward with a joint powers board to own the ambulance service and the establishment of a taxing district was a good idea at the current time. “I don’t see a clear and plausible path forward,” Anderson said. “It may be a good idea, but will take a lot of time to move it forward,” he said, noting that he is set to leave the council at the end of the year.
He noted that it would likely take at least a year to complete all the legal requirements and would also require a joint powers board to find an entity to operate the service, a prospect he said he sees as unlikely.
• Voted to promote EMT McKenna Villebrun to the open assistant ambulance supervisor position.
• Briefly discussed the process for establishing a no parking zone in the cul-de-sac at the north end of Pine St., where a short-term rental unit has generated controversy with neighbors. The council tabled action pending further exploration.
• Authorized Hoodoo Point Campground manager Randy Pratt, with approval from council members Joe Morin and Bob Anderson to solicit a second quote from a local contractor for re-tiling the campground showers. Morin and Anderson discussed volunteering to help with some other improvements to the bathroom facilities there. Funding for the project will come from the campground’s maintenance budget.
• Delayed approval of a lease with the Tower-Soudan Historical Society for the new city hall offices, to be located in the now refurbished Old Fire Hall building. The council expects that the city will be able to occupy the new offices by sometime in October, but that enough work is remaining to delay approval of the lease.
• Approved the purchase of three new sets of firefighter turnout gear at a cost of $19,973. The council also gave the go-ahead to complete the electrical connections at the fire hall to allow for the installation of the Bauer Compressor, which was purchased more than a decade ago but was never installed. The quote for connection is $1,900.
• Authorized the clerk-treasurer to move forward with the removal of an underground fuel storage tank at city hall, with costs not to exceed $20,000 total. That includes approximately $16,000 for tank removal and $4,000 for pumping and disposal of remaining fuel.