SLEEPY EYE — The Sleepy Eye City Council will hold a Truth in Taxation hearing and consider passage of its 2020 tax levy and city budget Tuesday, Dec. 10.

The $92,580 preliminary tax levy increase is a 7% increase over the 2019 tax levy hike. The proposed $4,769,885 2020 city budget is actually $142,500 less than the $4,912,285 final 2019 budget.

The 2019 city budget included $350,000 for a new police station and $340,000 in street improvements.

The city council will also consider:

• Two $500 community grants for billboards marketing the Little Sprouts Learning Center (LSLC), Inc. A billboard at the corner of highways 4 & 14 is sought for a space to be open in February 2020.

“We are trying a variety of mediums to spread the word that we exist and to generate awareness to build our capacity with children and services we give to the community,” wrote Little Sprouts Learning Center President-elect Joann Schmidt.

“We have heard from businesses in town that these billboards have brought in business. We are hoping this will do the same for Little Sprouts Learning Center,” Schmidt said.

Little Sprouts had 13 students at the end of October. Enrollment increased to 18 in November, according to an assessment prepared by St. Peter Business Services, LLC. Three new infants are expected by March 2020.

Little Sprouts received overall favorable praise from current and expectant families, according to the assessment.

It was requested that the EDA (economic development authority) extend another $5,000 loan to LSLC to cover 2019 consulting services.

“Consistently containing expenses has continued. Full focus must continue to be on increasing enrollment. This should help increase the visibility of the center, leading to more referrals over the long term,” read the assessment.

• Buying a $9,775.42 8-foot, floatable shark for the Sleepy Eye Water Park. from Playtime of Englewood, Colo.

• Buying PerfectMind Inc. Recreation Management Software to provide clients in parks and recreation, health and wellness and other markets recreation and facility management tools to manage and grow organizations.

PerfectMind’s annual subscription fee is $6,000. There is a $6,000 one-time implementation fee completed remotely. If the company desires staff to be on-site, the travel cost for on-site services is $550/day plus flight cost.

• The meeting begins at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 10. There will be no open forum.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.