Municipal Finance

The Solution

Ehlers met with City staff and the departing Finance Director to assess immediate operational needs and identify longer-term projects requiring financial support. Based on these discussions, Ehlers provided interim Finance Director services to ensure continuity through the audit, budget, and annual reporting processes, while also offering role-specific training, guidance, and process review to support the transition of the newly promoted Finance Director and improve overall efficiency.

The Outcome

Ehlers provided both on-site and remote interim finance support for more than a year, ensuring the City’s audit, budget, and routine financial operations were completed without disruption. In addition, Ehlers played a key role in supporting the City’s public safety reorganization by conducting scenario-based financial analyses and regularly presenting to the City Council on the budget impacts of proposed and ongoing operations, as well as other funding decisions throughout the year.

The Solution

Ehlers advised the Lake Improvement District on the issuance of temporary financing to support construction of the high-water project, allowing the District to complete the project prior to certifying special assessment amounts and securing long-term funding.

The Outcome

The Lake Shamineau High-Water Project constructed a permanent outlet and pumping system to manage lake levels for property protection and environmental health, funded by lake property owners with state assistance and overseen by the Lake Shamineau Lake Improvement District.

The Solution

Ehlers proposed to develop a 10-Year Financial Management Plan, which allowed the County to understand, synthesize and analyze any changes in funding sources and expenditures both immediately and over a series of years. We reviewed various existing revenues and funding sources as well as other potential funding sources that could support both operating and capital needs of the County, including the use of debt. We also provided the County with various scenarios to help them evaluate different options.

The Outcome

Ehlers reviewed various existing revenues and funding sources as well as other potential funding sources that could support both operating and capital needs of the County, including the use of debt. We provided the County with various scenarios to help them evaluate different options.The Financial Management Plan reviewed various factors related to the parks system, including the following variables:

• Demography for the county, areas surrounding parks, and segments of the community that are the most and least frequent visitors
• Patterns such as drive time, quantity, and characteristics of program registrations (when applicable), and vehicle permit quantity and its correlation with specific program types
• Usage trends such as visitation, dwell time, travel distance, and other factors as closely related to park attributes and program offerings

Evaluating these factors, as well as the financial status of the parks system, Ehlers provided critical context for the funding alternative analysis, equity analysis and stakeholder engagement elements of the project. By starting with detailed, fine-grained data collection and analysis, we helped the County establish and communicate a shared understanding of how residents and others use County parks and engage in its programming.

The Solution

Ehlers led a citywide review of payment operations, engaging each department that receives payments to document platforms, processes, and pain points. By consolidating this information into a single, actionable framework, Ehlers identified opportunities to streamline services, reduce manual processing, and advance the City’s transition to more efficient electronic payments.

The Outcome

The assessment produced clear, actionable recommendations that positioned the City to streamline payment operations, improve efficiency, and increase net revenues. As a result, the City advanced into a second phase with Ehlers to implement the recommendations and realize measurable operational and financial improvements.

The Solution

Ehlers completed a comprehensive utility usage analysis and rate study for the City’s water, sewer, and stormwater funds. The team evaluated existing billing tiers and practices and developed multiple rate and funding scenarios to address negative cash balances, support future capital improvement needs, and ensure compliance with statutory requirements related to conservation-based rate structures.

The Outcome

The City approved sufficient rate increases across all utility funds and adjusted billing tiers and practices to comply with state statutory requirements. Approximately one year later, Ehlers was reengaged to complete a utility rate study update as the City pursued state bonding and funding for a new water treatment plant, building on the financial and policy framework established through the initial engagement.

The Solution

Ehlers worked with the City to update its financial management plan and complete a comprehensive franchise fee study. The team guided the City through a confidential credit rating evaluation to ensure new debt and funding strategies preserved Burnsville’s AAA credit rating, and supported decision-making through City Council work sessions and engagement with community stakeholders, including the local chamber of commerce and utility providers, to evaluate and communicate franchise fee options.

The Outcome

The City Council approved franchise fee increases ranging from 100% to 160% by user class, enabling the City to advance its facility funding strategy. The City also issued the first of two planned tranches of capital improvement plan bonds and began construction on renovations to its combined police station and City Hall.