10/12/2026
📣 Freeport City Newsletter – 2026 Year in Review
2026 has been a year of progress for Freeport! From responsible financial planning to infrastructure improvements and economic development, our community continues to move forward through teamwork and thoughtful leadership.
Here are a few highlights from this month's newsletter:
🏡 FY2027 Budget: Preliminary budgets set in September establish the tax rate ceiling for the upcoming fiscal year. Council can lower these numbers before final adoption in December, but we cannot raise them. In 2026, growth and improvements allowed us to reduce the local tax rate by 0.11%. Continuing that progress with Council, staff, and ABDO (financial advisors) efforts, our preliminary 2027 city tax rate features a 0% increase, with a strong likelihood of further reductions by December. This is an incredibly rare feat this cycle highlighted again by the city experiencing our lowest city tax rate in the last 25 years. Responsible financial planning has allowed us this benefit. The City of Freeport does not establish property valuations; those are set by Stearns County, but Council remains committed to offsetting costs wherever possible.
🏭 Commercial Development: We are working with current and potential businesses to bring growth to Freeport. A key tool in these discussions is Tax Increment Financing (TIF). By working alongside our financial advisors, the city approved a "Pay-As-You-Go" (Pay-Go) TIF district for our industrial park. This is a zero-risk development opportunity for the city because the developer bears the financial responsibility, not local residents. TIF is a proven economic development tool used across neighboring communities. By leveraging TIF, Freeport stays competitive in attracting those businesses that strengthen our local economy.
🚧 I-94 Interchange Improvements: By working with our state legislators and testifying in front of the House and Senate, Freeport achieved a historic milestone by securing $6 million in state bonding funds to replace the I-94 interchange; a major win that will dramatically improve safety for our community. The bridge’s design, safety concerns, and condition warrants replacement.
🛣️ Old Highway Project: Thank you to all residents for your patience this year as we saw a great deal of increased traffic while Stearns County rebuilt the Old Highway to Albany. As with every construction project, there are always hiccups to deal with, but progress is on track and it should be completed very soon.
🗳️ Election Reminder: Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. Make your voice heard and exercise your right to vote!
👏 Recognizing Community Service: We also celebrate Tim Hennen’s 30 years of service with the Freeport Fire Department, along with his many years of service on the City Council and Economic Development Authority.
These accomplishments reflect the dedication of the people who make Freeport a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
📬 Take a few minutes to read the full newsletter for more updates and information about our community.
City Council meetings are held on the last Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM to stay informed and involved.
— Mayor Michael Eveslage and the City of Freeport
