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50 YEARS: Century College is golden PAGE 7A
Inevitable: Tax levy hike larger than past years BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
WHITE BEAR LAKE — First off, know this: the city tax levy has remained fairly flat since 2007. That said, it's been a long time since the city bought a new fire truck. Years of miserly spending are catching up to the city when it comes to capital equipment needs. Listed on the proposed tax levy spreadsheet is $146,000 for new firefighting equipment. It's one reason the preliminary levy figure is $452,000 higher than last year. Two more reasons for the levy hike: an increase in general fund operations of $80,000 (18 percent) and a move to end the reliance on reserves to operate the city. That accounting change requires $226,000 from taxpayers and accounts for 50 percent of the levy increase. The money has to come from somewhere. It certainly isn't coming from interest revenue or local government aid. Earnings from interest have dropped from $1.9 million in 2008 to $200,000 in 2017. Local government aid has remained flat while the tax levy has seen only a $240,000 increase in the last 10 years, an annual average increase of 0.5 percent. Those three major revenue sources totaled $8.4 million in 2008 compared to $6.6 million in 2017. Still, the city has managed to maintain essential services and keep pace with infrastructure needs, pointed out City Manager Ellen Richter at the Sept. 12 City Council meeting. The levy has stayed fairly flat due to a drawdown in the employee expense fund that helped operate the city. There was more in the fund than needed, so $1.3 million was shifted to offset operations the last four years, which helped keep the levy down. “That now needs to shift to the tax levy,” Richter said. “The projected fund balance for capital equipment is $682,000 after 2018,” noted the city manager. “That is not where we'd like it to be. The $146,000 in the proposed levy would begin to rebuild the revenue stream for the equipment fund to plan for future capital expenditures.” Like a fire truck. SEE TAX LEVY, PAGE 9A
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Almost 12 acres of grapes and 5,500 vines make up 7 Vines Vineyard and Winery on Highway 96 in Dellwood.
Number seven prevalent throughout tasteful new winery BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
Seven years (there's that number again) after Ron and Arlie Peltier purchased the estate once owned by the daughter and granddaughter of railroad baron James J. Hill, their long planned winery has come to fruition. Wine produced from vineyard grapes is being bottled in house and ready for tasting under the 7 Vines label, which features a twisted vine in the shape of a seven. The unique logo is prevalent throughout the Dellwood winery. The number is signifiant for Peltier. "Seven has always been a special lucky number and has lots of meaning behind it," he had said during an earlier interview. He attended the University of Minnesota on a full hockey scholarship wearing No. 7
and more importantly, the couple have seven grandchildren. Vineyard Business Development Manager Janee Katz provided three of those grandchildren. The Peltier's daughter and her husband, Edina Realtor Eric Katz, are Mahtomedi High School grads who met as teenagers, just like her parents. Her role has evolved along with the vineyard, said Katz, who also lives in Dellwood. She has been involved every step of the way with 7 Vines Vineyard and Winery, one of the state's largest full-experience wineries. A special event open to the public is planned Oct. 8 called Fall in the Vineyard, but a more formal grand opening is planned in spring. "We want people to experience the harvest this fall," Katz said. "We know there is excitement and buzz in SEE WINERY, PAGE 8A
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Winemaker Bryan Forbes and vineyard manager Janee (Peltier) Katz hold grapes destined for the new barrels behind them.
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