The Wells City Council held a budget work session as they continued to look for ways to decrease the proposed tax levy for 2022.

The work session, which took place on Monday, Nov. 22, was also attended by new city administrator Connor LaPointe.

“What is your target?” LaPointe asked. “What number are you aiming for?”

John Herman was ready with his answer.

“I would like to see the increase held to single digits,” he replied.

The work session began with the proposed 2022 budget showing a 14.7 percent levy increase over 2021.

“Every $12,000 we cut lowers the budget increase one percent,” the city’s finance specialist, Jennifer Lindholm, told the council.

During the two-hour meeting, members of the council looked at many items from the various departments before making their decision.

“Some of these things will just be delayed, some we needed more information about the requests anyway,” council member Herman commented.

Some of the items eliminated during the work session included purchasing a new city truck, replacing lighting at the community center, purchasing a new liner for the baby pool at the Wells Swimming Pool, a new floor for the locker rooms at the swimming pool and new picnic tables.

The council also decided to eliminate a request from the Wells Fire Department for some foaming equipment until the council is given more information.

Discussion was also held on what to do with the skate park which is in need of repair.

One idea was to make it into a basketball court.

“It seems like the skateboard fad has come and gone,” commented one council member. “Now, I just see kids sitting on top of the walls talking.”

It was mentioned the skateboard park may have to be locked if repairs are not made.

When all of the changes were factored in, the amount of the tax levy increase had been reduced to 5.77 percent.

“That is very close to what the increase was in 2020 and less than it was in 2019,” Herman noted.

The council has its next regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Dec. 13.