Wadena County sets levy increase at 4.86 percent
At their Dec. 13 board meeting, Wadena County Commissioners spent a good deal of time discussing the final property tax levy amount and eventually approved the 2016 payable 2017 property tax levy amount for the county at $8,599,165. This amount represents a 4.86 percent increase over 2015 payable 2016.
The levy amount was reduced from the September preliminary levy amount by about $200,000.
The board decided it was necessary to increase the levy in order to have the funds to pay for higher costs in many areas including employee wages, employee benefits (especially health insurance), building construction and corrections.
Three Minnesota legislators and legislators-elect were also in attendance to listen to the concerns of the board and other elected and appointed county officials.
State Senator-elect Paul Utke, State Representative Steve Green and State Representative-elect John Poston heard funding needs explained by Community Corrections Director Kathy Langer, County Attorney Kyra Ladd, Seventh Judicial District Judge Sally Robertson, Zoning and Parks Director Deana Malone and Commissioner Bill Stearns.
Green’s response was to disagree with the points made by several of the officials, including the county’s agreement with the DNR about releasing land owned by the DNR. He also appeared not to know the difference between “child welfare” payments, and child protection. Utke and Poston listened politely and promised to remember the county’s concerns during the upcoming legislative session. Green also voiced some of the widely-believed but incorrect myths about refugees and immigrants in Minnesota.
In other business, the board
o Approved the new uniform guidance procurement policy received by the auditor/treasurer’s office regarding purchase decisions, record-keeping, contract types and price bases.
o Approved the Wadena Pioneer Journal as the county’s official newspaper for 2017. The Pioneer Journal will publish the legal notices and the second financial statement for the county. The Sebeka-Menahga Review Messenger will publish the first financial statement.
o Approved the corrections act subsidy agreement for 2017.
o Approved a one-year position called drainage ditch specialist to be shared by the highway department and the Soil and Water Conservation District.
o Approved a 2017 compensation plan for all nonunion employees of the county on a new wage scale effective Jan. 1.
