City expects to stay on a conservative budget path

Cloquet finance director Nancy Klassen walked the Cloquet city council through the audit of last year’s finances — which got a “clean” opinion with no errors — then city staff talked about the tentative budget for 2021. It was only a discussion, one that will continue, at least until the council passes its preliminary budget and levy later in September.

“The audit shows you where you’re at, and budget shows you where you are going,” Klassen told the councilors who were meeting via Zoom and telephone Tuesday evening.

Public works director Caleb Peterson also talked about the city’s capital impr...