Submitted Photo Clover, one of the Amur leopards at the Roosevelt Park Zoo, benefits from the new habitat built at the zoo. Bonding is included in the 2023 preliminary budget for that project.

An 8% tax levy increase is included in a $15.4 million preliminary budget for 2023 approved by the Minot Park District last week.

A public hearing will be held Sept. 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Community Room in Minot Municipal Auditorium.

The park district’s current budget is $14.3 million. Rising expenses for utilities, fuel, insurance, salaries and other operational items are prompting the increase in proposed spending, said Parks Director Ron Merritt. A 6% salary adjustment is proposed.

New bonding coming in 2023 accounts for about half of the increase, he said. 

The street and parking lot project at the Magic City Discovery Center, which is being completed by the City of Minot and assessed to the park district, carries the largest bond. 

Other bonded projects are the outdoor recreation area in west Minot, leopard exhibit at the zoo and the SCHEELS Complex on South Hill. Merritt said bids on the leopard exhibit and SCHEELS Complex came in higher than anticipated, requiring bonding. The leopard exhibit and SCHEELS Complex also have received considerable funding from outside donations, while the outdoor recreation project is pursuing grants.

Merritt said the park board also wants to rebuild reserve funds, which currently stand at $2 million, or 13% of he budget. The goal is to be closer to 30-40% of the budget, or $5 million to $6 million, he said.

The board made a small increase in dollars going into reserves last year and proposes to do the same this year to move closer to the desired level of reserves. Merritt said healthy reserves are necessary for emergencies and to be able to bond.