City discusses 2025 budget and future projects

City of Tower

By Steve Altenburg – October 16, 2025

TOWER—The monthly meeting of the Tower council was held on October 15th and was mostly informative as the city has no major projects going on due to seasonal change.

Although no actual budget for 2025 has been set details that of spending and income were shared. Currently 80% of the city’s property tax is used just to pay city employees, not including ambulance salaries. The city is now saying it needs to focus on its infrastructure/streets which they have been neglected.

The city is waiting for bids to fix problems on South Second and Third Streets which they were finally able to get grant funds to pay for the work. The bid calls for a July 1st, 2025 completion date.

Council hired another full time assistant maintenance worker, Olivia Haavisto, who has worked as a seasonal employee the last couple of years. Council also agreed to advertise for a seasonal winter employee to help with snow removal as their main purpose.

Other city business covered :

• Four propane bids were received with the bid awarded to the lowest bidder, Superior, at $1.22 a gallon for 2 years.
• Annual police contract review will take place. The current contract for 2024 was set at $78,000.
• The county building purchase contract has not been finalized but is being worked on. Total cost just to purchase the land is stated at $283,000.
• Council discussed keeping/acquiring the oldest ambulance to use for interfacility transfers. No decision was made.
• Council approved a resolution to assess four delinquent water/sewer accounts to the property tax and list of the county.
• And finally, the clerk/treasurer had a memo reminding everyone of elections on November 5th and that absentee voting is available at city hall on the two Saturdays and the 1 Sunday prior to November 5th.

The meeting adjourned at 7:09 p.m.