Town Hall · Clear Lake

How Clear Lake is run

Clear Lake spent $1.2 million in the year to December 31, 2022, about $1,608 per resident.

Town website

City budget

$1.2 million

spent, year to December 31, 2022

Per resident

$1,608

Below typical Minnesota cities ($2,225)

Long-term debt

$2 million

$2,728 per resident

Typical tax bill

$2,935

a year · MN $3,357

What stands out about how Clear Lake is run

Read from the town’s budget, meetings and records. The page puts what stands out first.

A lean budget$1,608 per resident a year, vs $2,225 for a typical Minnesota city.Runs its own water & sewer44% of spending goes to water, sewer and trash, paid largely by users’ fees.A shared school districtShares St. Cloud Public School District with 6+ other towns.

★ What stands out · Your share of the budget

About $1,608 per resident a year, or $4.41 a day

The biggest line: water & other utilities, at 33% of spending.

CLEAR LAKEYour share · per resident · year to December 31, 2022

Water & other utilities$392,000 · 33%$538

Fire$224,000 · 19%$307

Roads & transportation$172,000 · 15%$236

Sewer & trash$125,000 · 11%$171

Administration & buildings$78,000 · 7%$107

Interest on debt$48,000 · 4%$66

Parks & libraries$39,000 · 3%$53

Police$25,000 · 2%$34

Other$69,000 · 6%$95

Total per resident$1,608

Whole budget $1.2 million · 729 residents
Thank you for being a neighbor

Where the money comes from

Fees & charges 50%Property taxes 22%Utility sales 12%From the state 8%Interest, fines & other 4%From the federal government 2%Other taxes & licenses 2%

The school district

St. Cloud Public School District

Clear Lake’s K–12 school district, shared with Clearwater, Haven Township, St. Joseph, Waite Park, St. Cloud and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Clear Lake →

$17,140

per pupil · MN $17,091

9,543

students

$242.9 million

long-term debt

Of the $17,140 per pupil, $10,881 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from

Local 20%State 66%Federal 14%

Minnesota districts overall: 30% local, 62% state, 8% federal.

Also serving Clear Lake

Becker Public School District · $13,615 per pupil

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Clear Lake

Local officials aren’t in the public records we use for Clear Lake yet. Neighbors can add them.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $2,935 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 1.04% of the home’s value, vs 1.02% across Minnesota.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Minnesota$3,357

Clear Lake$2,935

$2,935

typical bill a year

1.04%

effective rate

$281,300

typical home value (Census)

Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Clear Lake’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the estimate has a wide margin.

Who represents Clear Lake

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Clear Lake.

Politics & elections →

1
Your cityMayor & council

Local officials aren’t on record yet.
2
Minnesota HouseState representatives

Shane Mekeland
3
Minnesota SenateState senator

Andrew Mathews
4
GovernorStatewide

Tim Walz
5
U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress

Tom Emmer
6
U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Minnesota

Amy Klobuchar Tina Smith

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Reach Clear Lake’s government

Numbers and hours come from neighbors and the town’s own site (the Handbook). A new one goes live once two neighbors confirm it.

The Handbook →

Official websiteclearlakemn.govoffice2.com ↗

Questions about how Clear Lake is run?

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →

Weigh in

Does Clear Lake get good value for its tax dollars?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. School district: Census school finance survey. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates. Representatives: Open States, the Census and congress-legislators.