Town Hall · Cottage Grove

Cottage Grove, MN town hall & government

Cottage Grove spent $116 million in the year to December 31, 2024, about $2,826 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Cottage Grove's government.

Meetings

Coming up at Cottage Grove's town hall

  • Oct 7Wed · 7:00 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting Regular MeetingCouncil Chambers - 7 PM, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 13Tue · 7:30 am
    Economic Development AuthorityEconomic Development Authority MeetingCouncil Chambers, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 13Tue · 6:00 pm
    Advisory Committee on Historic PreservationTraining Room, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Meeting page ↗
  • Oct 21Wed · 7:00 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting Regular MeetingCouncil Chambers, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Meeting page ↗
  • Nov 4Wed · 6:00 pm
    GeneralCity Council Special Meeting (Mayor for a Day)12800 Ravine Parkway Meeting page ↗
  • Nov 4Wed · 7:00 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting Regular MeetingCouncil Chambers - 7 PM, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Meeting page ↗

Recent meetings

  • Sep 28Mon · 7:00 pm
    Planning CommissionPlanning Commission MeetingCouncil Chambers, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 16Wed · 7:00 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting Regular MeetingCouncil Chambers, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 14Mon · 7:00 pm
    Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources CommissionParks, Recreation and Natural Resources Commission MeetingCouncil Chambers, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 2Wed · 7:00 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting Regular MeetingCouncil Chambers - 7 PM, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Sep 2Wed · 6:15 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting (Special Open Meeting)Training Room, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Aug 25Tue · 7:30 am
    Cottage Grove Convention and Visitors BureauCottage Grove Convention and Visitors Bureau MeetingCouncil Chambers, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Aug 19Wed · 7:00 pm
    City CouncilCity Council Meeting Regular MeetingCouncil Chambers, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗
  • Aug 11Tue · 6:00 pm
    Advisory Committee on Historic PreservationTraining Room, 12800 Ravine Parkway South Agenda ↗Meeting page ↗

Official listings from Cottage Grove's agenda portal ↗, checked daily. Times are local. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check the portal before you go.

Town budget

Where Cottage Grove's money goes

Spent
$116 million
fiscal year to December 31, 2024
Per resident
$2,826
typical Minnesota cities: $2,521
Long-term debt
$39.9 million
$973 per resident
Roads & transportation
$39.5 million34%
Water & other utilities
$23.7 million20%
Parks & libraries
$16.8 million15%
Police
$12.8 million11%
Sewer & trash
$10.2 million9%
Health & welfare
$2.4 million2%
Fire
$1.8 million2%
Administration & buildings
$1.7 million1%
Interest on debt
$1.1 million1%
Housing & development
$396,000<1%
Other
$5.5 million5%

Where the money comes from

  • From the state 35%
  • Property taxes 26%
  • Fees & charges 22%
  • Interest, fines & other 7%
  • Utility sales 4%
  • Other taxes & licenses 3%
  • From other local governments 1%
  • Sales taxes 1%
  • From the federal government <1%
Town workforce · Census estimate

Who works for Cottage Grove

Full-time staff
145
161 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$119,400
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
47
and 14 full-time firefighters
Police
54 full-time12 part
Parks & libraries
18 full-time78 part
Fire
14 full-time63 part
Roads & transportation
25 full-time
Administration & buildings
12 full-time7 part
Housing & development
14 full-time
Sewer & trash
4 full-time
Water & other utilities
4 full-time
Other
0 full-time1 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Cottage Grove didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.

Schools · school year 2023–24

South Washington County School District

Cottage Grove's K–12 school district, shared with Grey Cloud Island, Newport, St. Paul Park and Woodbury. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$15,266
Minnesota: $17,091
Students
19,360
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$305.3 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Minnesota districts overall: 30% local, 62% state, 8% federal

  • Local 36%
  • State 61%
  • Federal 3%

Of the $15,266 per pupil, $10,087 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Also serving Cottage Grove: Hastings Public School District ($15,341 per pupil).

Property tax

What homeowners in Cottage Grove pay

Typical tax bill
$3,994
a year · Minnesota typical $3,357
Effective rate
1.05%
of home value · Minnesota 1.02%
Typical home value
$378,800
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Cottage Grove's government

🏛️ Official websitecottage-grove.org ↗

Town hall & decisions in Cottage Grove →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Cottage Grove

Cottage Grove is represented in Congress by Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Representative Angie Craig. Tim Walz is governor.

All of Cottage Grove's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Cottage Grove

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