In an effort to prepare city staff for a state government shutdown, Richfield City Manager Steve Devich compiled a list of potential consequences on city services.

"Many of the services that the city provides are dependent upon an ongoing relationship with the state," Devich stated in a memo to the City Council Thursday.

The possible impacts on the city include, but are not limited to:

• Delay of the Nicollet Avenue bridge project
• Lane closure approval for the July 4 celebrations
• Lottery will not be functional at Liquor Stores
• No testing/licensing for building, plumbing, electrical contractors
• Funding of foreclosure loan/grants
• Delay of projects such as Lyndale Gardens, KMart, Ron Clark, Richfield Parkway
• Securing the frontage road for the Taft Lake project
• Increase in the Section 8 call volume for several reasons
• Public safety - traffic related activity, not service to the public
• Inability to run background criminal history checks for several professions
• State funding will not be received or reimbursed
• Several DMV and DNR licensing services unavailable
• Car dealers unable to get plates or transfer titles

This is only a partial list of possible outcomes due to a shutdown. According to Devich, some of the most significant would be the inability to issue motor vehicle licenses, heavy call volume from people who depend on State subsidy payments, and not receiving payment due in July from the state to the city itself.

More information will be released to the community as it is made available.