Annual Budget

Public Safety

Public Safety is comprised of police, fire and inspection departments.  In total they make up 39.8 percent of the levy.

Hopkins Police Department
The Police Department’s Mission is to serve the community with Honesty, Integrity and Respect. They accomplish this through community engagement, relationship building and providing education and youth initiatives. They also responded to 21,432 calls for service in 2021. They work diligently to prevent and deter crime. The Police Department will add one position in 2023 funded through the American Rescue Plan Act.        

Hopkins Fire Department
The Fire Department makes a positive difference everyday by providing quality fire response, prevention services, emergency medical, hazardous materials handling and emergency preparedness. In 2021, they responded to 1,585 calls. Their average response time is 4.6 minutes. The Fire Department will conduct a staffing study in 2023 funded by general fund surplus and add one position starting on July 1.   

Inspections Department
This is the smallest department within public safety. The Inspections Department budget is mostly funded through charges for service. The 2023 budget includes revenues of $735,550 and expenditures of $1,062,119. The Inspections Department will add one position in 2023 funded by increased fees related to development. 

Capital Projects and Debt

Capital projects and debt is the next largest portion of the levy making up 22.1 percent. It supports street reconstruction, capital projects at municipal buildings and equipment purchases.

Street and Utility Improvement Project
The City is completing an aggressive street reconstruction plan paid for through bond issuance, special assessments and user charges for water, sewer and storm-sewer. All streets in Hopkins are planned to be reconstructed by 2030. Continuing this program ensures the future preservation of our streets and helps maintain the quality of life Hopkins residents have come to expect.

The Artery
In order to fully realize the benefits of Southwest Light Rail the city invested in 8th Avenue and created the Artery. The Artery is a bike, pedestrian and vehicle connection and community space between a future light rail transit station and the City’s historic downtown. The $5.7 million project leveraged $2.6 million of grants from Metropolitan Council, Hennepin County and Three Rivers Park District.

Blake Road
The City has also invested in the Blake Road Corridor. The City is adding several pedestrian friendly amenities including: multi-use trails, landscaped boulevards and upgraded street lighting. The Road will also be upgraded to handle future traffic and development demands. The $16 million project will receive reimbursements from Hennepin County ($8 Million) and utilize Municipal State Aid of ($3 million).  

The City’s share of the Artery project and Blake Road reconstruction were funded with debt. They also took advantage of limited outside funding sources in order to make needed improvements.  Delaying the projects would likely result in higher costs and a larger City-share of the overall cost.  

Hopkins Activity Center

The Activity Center is a separate facility that is included in the general fund budget. The general fund levy amount being used for the Activity Center is $343,392 or 1.8 percent of the levy. The Activity Center’s mission is to provide pathways to “Experience the Upside of Aging.” It is a gathering place for mature adults. It is also a rental facility and community space. 

Hopkins Center for the Arts

The Hopkins Center for the Arts levy being proposed is $347,697 or 1.8 percent of the total levy. The Arts Center is a premiere cultural and artistic destination drawing over 250,000 visitors annually. The City believes that it is an excellent economic development tool that helped make Mainstreet vibrant and authentic. With this levy, the Arts Center will continue to be an asset to the community.   

Pavilion

The Pavilion levy being proposed is $340,000 or 1.8 percent of the levy. In 2018, the Pavilion was upgraded and expanded. The City needed to complete a project to replace a 27-year old refrigeration system that was unreliable, developing leaks and being phased out by the EPA.  

The City was able to increase the scope of the project to include remodeled locker rooms, shower rooms, expanded lobby, remodeled office, remodeled concession stand and expanded restroom facilities after receiving contributions from the Hopkins School District ($1 million) and the Hopkins Youth Hockey Association ($1 million). The project still required bond proceeds of $3.1 million to complete. The debt service for the bonds will be paid with a Pavilion levy through 2033.