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County Board divided over 6.13-percent levy increase

By
Mavis Fodness

Rock County’s preliminary levy for 2017 is set to increase 6.13 percent over the current county levy.
Three motions at different percentages were made at the Sept. 20 County Board meeting before 6.13 percent was accepted.
Two motions for a 6.5 and a 5.75 percent increase failed in 2-3 votes. Commissioner Stan Williamson moved the vote to 3-2 for the 6.13 percent.
Commissioners Ron Boyenga and Ken Hoime cast the dissenting votes.
Each year Boyenga advocates for a zero percent increase. He garnered no support for his suggestion to cut programs in order to afford upcoming salary increases.
Hoime supported a levy increase but at a lower percentage than what was accepted. He supported the 5.75-percent increase in the failed second motion.
“We need a starting place so this is a compromise,” he said.
Commissioners have until December to finalize the levy. It can be set lower than the preliminary levy of 6.13 percent, but it cannot be increased.
Because union negotiations have not been finalized, commissioners reserved a portion of the estimated $360,000 in increased levy monies for the employees’ cost of living increases.
After the union negotiations are settled, the rest of the additional levy monies are allotted for reserves, or commissioners could decide to finalize the levy at a lower percentage.
The reserve fund currently has enough to cover five months of actual county operating expenditures.
County Administrator Kyle Oldre presented a revised fund balance chart minus any bond payment amounts.
“It’s a cleaner picture on reserves,” he explained.
The county reserve fund had been significantly lowered after the 2014 flood events. At that time county officials chose to use reserves to pay for infrastructure damage instead of borrowing the funds.
At their two budget workshops, commissioners considered several departmental requests for additional monies.
At their Sept. 20 meeting commissioners chose not to earmark more monies to the community library or sheriff’s office for additional staff.
In other business, the commissioners:
•accepted Terri Ebert’s retirement from the Sheriff’s Office effective at the end of the year. They also approved hiring a replacement prior to Ebert’s last day.
•met Rock County’s newest deputy, Chad Kempema.
Kempema and his family live in Luverne, but he has been working for the sheriff’s office in Nobles County for the past 15 years. He also served as a part-time officer for Rock County for a portion of that time.

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