St. Cloud Council to Decide $16.3M Bond Sale, Tax Increment Plan Extension

(KNSI) — The St. Cloud City Council will tackle several big items at Monday night’s meeting, including approving a major borrowing proposal and extending a tax increment financing spending plan.

The council will vote on authorizing the sale of $16.3 million in General Obligation Bonds to fund various city needs. The largest portion, $6.7 million, will finance street reconstruction projects as part of the city’s Five-Year Street Reconstruction Plan, which received public hearing approval on August 4th. The remaining $9.6 million will cover equipment purchases, with $5.41 million allocated for new public safety radios. Additionally, $1.2 million will fund IT equipment, including servers and switches, $1.21 million will purchase snow removal equipment, $900,000 will buy a fire rescue pump truck, and $795,000 will cover additional equipment. Property taxes will repay the bonds.

Economic Development Director Cathy Mehelich will ask the council to approve an amendment to the city’s Tax Increment Financing spending plan. The amendment primarily extends the deadline for committing transferred tax increment funds from December 31st, 2025, to December 31st, 2026. The plan, originally adopted in 2021, allows the Economic Development Authority to use unobligated tax increment funds to assist private development projects that create or retain jobs. Since 2021, the EDA has allocated $621,000 from the plan toward redeveloping the former city hall site where the new Bremer Bank facility now stands. Approximately $676,500 remains available. The Economic Development Authority has reviewed and recommends the change.

The council will also schedule a public hearing for next month on Rise Dispensary’s request to sell recreational cannabis at its St. Cloud location. The facility currently sells medical marijuana in St. Cloud but offers recreational cannabis at its other Twin Cities locations and wants the same option here.

St. Cloud could begin participating in Explore Minnesota’s Film Ready Community Program. The council will consider ordinances establishing commercial film production regulations and updating licensing to accommodate film crews. If approved, St. Cloud would join Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth, Bloomington, and neighboring Waite Park as designated Film Ready Communities. The program attracts film, television, and media productions to Minnesota by simplifying permitting processes and showcasing unique locations. According to the staff report, future application fees would be deposited into the River’s Edge Convention Center. The council could set a public hearing for October 6th before voting.

The meeting gets underway at 6:00.

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