At the September 6 meeting of the county board, the commissioners, by consensus, set a goal to limit the levy increase to less than 6 or 7%. County Coordinator Bobbie Vickerman reviewed preliminary numbers for 2017.
Vickerman said based on what each of the departments presented, before any changes are figured in, the levy increase could potentially be over 15%, or about $1.4 million. She called it a beginning point. Chairman Marc Prestby maintained, “I’m not in favor of a double digit increase.” To get from 15% to about 6% will involve some tough decisions.
Commissioner Randy Dahl commented that there have been several really lean years when the board kept the levy increase near 0. This put off doing some things that will have to be done. The levy increase last year was about 5%. Vickerman explained the county’s phone system can not be repaired as it is, and if it goes down, it will have to be replaced. Commissioner Duane Bakke said if we don’t budget for that possibility and the phone system goes down, funds to replace it will come out of infrastructure reserves.
The board will approve the preliminary levy on September 27. From that point they can reduce the levy, but not increase it before approving the final budget and levy in December.
County program aid will be $604,428, or a $67,816 increase from last year.
Commissioner Harry Root raised the issue of safety and card readers. He asked if anything is going to be allocated for security? Vickerman noted that the Sheriff’s budget includes about $72,000 for a full-time employee for the courthouse. Commissioner Mitch Lentz commented that you can’t secure a building with several entrances with one person with a gun. Card readers to secure the entrances would probably come out of the infrastructure budget which has been used for tuckpointing county buildings this last year. The proposed budget for the infrastructure fund showed a 43% increase.
The sanitation fund also shows about a 60% increase which, in part, could pay for a compactor to save on transportation costs over the long term. The EDA fund proposal had the largest percent increase, including money to support AcenTek applications to secure state grant funds for rural broadband in the greater Lanesboro and/or Rushford areas. Using reserves for this purpose will reduce the proposed levy by 1.5%. If AcenTek secures the grant money, the company will pay the county back over several years, replenishing the reserves.
Human Services has the second largest budget, with a proposal to have a 15% increase for 2017. Vickerman said she worked with Public Health, Social Services, and Veterans on their budgets. She praised all of them for the work they did on the budgets. She added that they are doing a great job making sure we get our dollars back through reimbursements when possible. It was noted that federal reimbursements have been reduced over the last few years.
Vickerman stated that they have cut quite a bit from Human Services already and if they cut more they will have to determine if there is a service that isn’t required.
Citizens input
Bonita Underbakke, Holt Township, expressed her dismay at the board’s intention to make significant cuts in proposed budgets. She encouraged the board to make decisions for a healthy, strong future and to be willing to fund it. Underbakke suggested that commissioners are too concerned about their own reelections, if they were to raise taxes. She ended her statement asking them to “fund our needs for a healthy future.”
Other business in brief
• Approval was given to pay $52,596 to Zuercher Law Enforcement Technology Group (LETG) for in squad software and professional services. The payment will be made out of unallocated funds. Chief Deputy Tony Weber commented that they had a mandate to go paperless. The software does the ticket writing and prints out a copy for the driver receiving the ticket.
A Motorola Services Agreement was approved with one year maintenance and support for 24/7 coverage for radios costing $8,279. It is a 3-year agreement with a 2% price increase each year. A payment of $2,767 will be made for the months left in 2016.
• Social Services Manager Neva Beier explained the state is streamlining the healthcare system into one system, METS (Minnesota Eligibility Technology System). The project cost is $21,330 to be split between six counties or $3,555 each. The county can apply for half the cost to be reimbursed by the state. The cost to Fillmore County will then be $1,777.50. The technology should improve efficiency for MnSure staff.
• Approval was given to use the 2017 annual County Veterans Service Officer Operational Enhancement Grant of $10,000 to update technological equipment in the Veterans/Extension Office. It will also be used for outreach through radio ads.
• Zoning administrator Cristal Adkins requested and received approval to purchase an L-shaped desk for the office at a cost of $811, which includes delivery and installation.
• An agreement between Fillmore and Olmsted Counties was approved concerning the reconstruction of CSAH 1 from CSAH 4 to Highway 30. County Engineer Ron Gregg said Olmsted will reimburse us for our time and effort regarding the last half mile of CSAH 1, which is in Olmsted County.
• Two resolutions were approved for the grant money of $250,000 each for two bridges being built on CSAH 1, one over Bear Creek and the other over Deer Creek. The resolutions authorize Gregg to sign the grant documentation.
• Bakke and Highway/Airport office manager Pam Schroeder were appointed to the Joint Airport Zoning Board.
• A payment in full of $2,618 to Scheevel & Sons was approved for work and materials to complete the Greenleafton Mound Removal Improvement project.