Finance

The Department of Finance provides fiscal management, processing, reporting and maintenance of all accounting transactions of the City. Finance is responsible for the processing of the yearly budget, capital improvement program, comprehensive annual financial report, special assessments, payroll, utility and investments of all City funds.

The City currently operates three utilities: Water, Sewer, and Storm Water Utility. The collection of these utilities are billed quarterly. There is more information available under "Utility Billing".

The City operates two Liquor Stores (an Off-sale and an On-sale). The profits are used to fund various City projects, and also to help offset Revenue shortfalls which would otherwise have been paid for from property taxes. More information is available under "Liquor Stores".

The City of Lindstrom operates a full-service city government on a total annual operating budget in the amount of $18.1 million. The General Fund budget is $3.4 million; the Special Revenue Fund is $500,000; the Debt Funds are $1 million; the Capital Expense budgets total $7.9 million; and the Enterprise Funds total $5.3 million. 

The City Council approves a Preliminary Property Tax Levy and Annual Budget prior to September 15th, with a Final Levy and Budget approval occurring in December of each year. A printed copy of the current Annual General Fund Operating Budget and Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) is available for review online version of the Annual Budget (summary) is available by clicking on "Departments" then "Finance", then "Annual Reports".  Select the current year's "Adopted City Budget Revenues & Expenses Summary" report for review.

Note: WHERE DO THE PROFITS GO?

The City of Lindstrom owns Municipal On-sale and Off-sale Liquor stores. Often times, residents question how profits from sales at these facilities are used. In 2021, the Liquor stores (On-Sale & Off-Sale) transferred a total of $229,830.00 into other funds. These dollars paid for Capital Expenditures, and the Profits were also transferred into the General Fund for Operating Expenses that otherwise would have been paid for from increased Property Taxes.