City Commission Approves Preliminary 2024 Budget

Aug. 1, 2023 – The Mandan City Commission preliminarily approved a 2024 budget proposal during its Aug. 1 meeting. The proposed budget maintains the current city mill rate. However, expenses for all funds combined are $2.5 million higher than the 2023 budget. Rising costs of providing the same, basic City services is visible throughout the budget, including in the form of employee salaries and benefits, operations and maintenance, machinery, equipment and projects.

Mandan’s average residential property valuation increase was 9.4% in 2023. This coupled with the mill rate, equates to an $81 increase per $300,000 of true and full value for a residential property. This excludes any special assessments.

Residents will notice a $1.87 per month increase for utility charges, totaling about $22 for the year. This includes contractual increases with both Armstrong Sanitation for residential garbage services and Waste Management for recycling services.

The City’s proposed budget totals $36 million. The contribution from property tax revenue is $6.6 million with the remainder covered through user fees, special assessments, sales and use tax revenue, funds received from other sources such as federal and state contributions, and existing reserve funds.

The preliminary budget counts on a transfer to the general fund of $1.7 million of the 1% city sales and use tax revenue for property tax reduction and revenue stabilization. Without the sales and use tax contribution, the average increase for a $300,000 residential property would be about $200 more.

To offset a portion of the cost for services in the general fund, the City will use $1.5 million from the general fund reserves.

In 2024, the City will invest $3.7 million in machinery, equipment and projects. This includes preliminary engineering costs for the Collins Avenue water reservoir replacement project and for phase III of the water treatment plant optimization project. Other costs include Police Department body cams, an air curtain incinerator for the landfill, rapid rectangular flashing beacon pedestrian crosswalk systems, and more.

The draft budget includes a 5% salary adjustment, and approval of two full-time positions: an assistant public works director and a firefighter/EMT. Also included is a projected 10% increase for health insurance costs.

“One of the most difficult things we as a board do when setting the budget is weigh department needs against what the community can afford,” says Mayor Tim Helbling. “It’s a tough, but necessary balance.”

City services only a portion of local property tax bill. City services currently account for about 22% of the property taxes levied for Mandan property owners. This means the City receives $0.22 for every $1 of property taxes collected. The School District, Morton County and Park District services account for the remainder.

Public hearings. The Morton County treasurer, in accordance with state law, will mail letters by Aug. 31 to all property owners, notifying them of proposed changes in property taxes and public hearing dates for all taxing entities. The letters will provide estimated property taxes based on preliminary budgets. It will also include notice of the City Commission’s public hearing on the budget scheduled for Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. prior to final consideration and approval. The hearing will take place at Mandan City Hall, 205 Second Ave NW.

For more information about the 2024 budget, contact the Finance Department at 701-667-3213. The preliminary budget documents are posted at cityofmandan.com/budget.