2026 Budget PPT (Audra)2026 Budget Narrative
Audra Etzel, City Clerk
August 4, 2025
City Clerk, Audra Etzel
Deputy Clerk, Katie Kalland
Administrative Assistant, Sandy Lindenfelser
Department Staff
• Agenda Packets
• Official Notices
• Minutes/Resolutions/Ordinances
• Administer Elections
• Licensing: Liquor, Gambling and Mobile Food Units
• Data Requests
• Records Retention
DepartmentalResponsibilities
Trends for the department:
•Liquor Licenses: On-Sale Licenses (7) and Sunday Licenses (5), Off-Sale
Licenses (6), Off-Sale 3.2 (2), 3.2 On-Sale (1). Total of 16 Liquor Licenses
•Lawful Gambling Premise Permits: 4 Premises Permits (2 Organizations)
•Data Requests: 2023 (16), 2024 (33), 2025 (14) as of July 2025
•Election Precincts: 2018 (3), 2020 (3), 2022 (4), 2024 (5)
•Registered Voters: 2021 (12,404), November 2022 (13,895), November 2024
(15,197), and 15,334 as of May 2025
•Election Day Ballots Processed:
PNP: 2024 (1,596)
Primary: 2018 (1,494), 2020 (735), 2022 (1,194), 2024 (743)
General: 2018 (6,228), 2020 (4,905), 2022 (7,471), 2024 (7,437)
•Absentee/Direct Ballots Processed:
PNP: 2024 (116)
Primary: 2018 (98), 2020 (635), 2022 (107), 2024 (139)
General: 2018 (983), 2020 (6,484), 2022 (1,931), 2024 (6,290)
2026 Election Judge Pay Primary General Total
Training Election Judges (96) $4,432
Preparation/AB & Direct Balloting $7,449 $19,761 $27,210
Pretesting/PAT $680 $680 $1,360
Set-Up & Election Day $12,105 $18,495 $30,600
Total Part-Time Employee Pay $63,602
2024 Notes:
• Increase in Registered Voters
• Direct Ballots Increased for 7 to 18 days
• Understaffed
• Used Full-Time Staff
• Pay Judge Pay
• Election/Student Judge 2024 $15 (2026 proposed $16)
• Head Judge 2024 $17 (2026 proposed $17)
• Election Specialists $19 (2026 proposed $20)
*2023 Wright County Survey average EJ $15.44 & Head Judge $17.20**
2025 Grant Estimate for State Voter Operations Account $3,493.63
Strategic Plan Alignment Goals and Initiatives
Positioning for Growth:
-Continue to work with community partners on polling locations and recruiting student judges.
-Staying current with election laws, security, and changes to early voting.
Engaging Stakeholders:
-Update City website with current information.
-Utilize effective technology to easily maintain & locate data for public.
Empowering the Organization:
-Continue cross training within the department.
-Staff training, development and advancement.
-Records management (Laserfishe and General Records Retention Schedule).
Thank you.