After weeks of discussion and planning, the time finally came at the Wright County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday to approve the county’s budget for the next fiscal year.
First, the board held a public hearing on exceeding the maximum tax levy. A hearing is required when the levy exceeds $3.50 per thousand dollars of valuation. The proposed levy is $4.00. This rate reflects the General Basic levy and does not cover every levy. Auditor Betty Ellis announced that because the mental health levy ended up being lower than expected, the county’s overall levy will remain roughly the same. It was previously reported that it would increase a few cents. The board approved the max tax levy.
Next, the budget went on to pass after a public hearing. Ellis said that she had not received any public comments on it. The budget remains largely the same as the version published previously in the county papers, though again, the mental health levy is lower.
The board approved a resolution adopting the salary recommendations from the Compensation Board. Elected officials will receive a 3.5% raise, and the sheriff will get a 5% raise.
They approved amortization schedules on two current loans. Ellis explained that these loans were previously considered ‘interim’ loans as the county was applying for low interest USDA loans. Since the county didn’t get the USDA loans, a payment schedule is necessary now. The first is a $1.6 million loan for purchase of land for the Agribusiness Park (1.2% interest rate, to be paid in 3 years) and the other is for $2.5 million for infrastructure at the park (2% interest rate, to be paid over 5 years). Both loans are through Wright County banks.
In other business, Karl Helgevold reported on behalf of Sandy McGrath the weekly COVID update. There have been 4,634 doses of vaccine given throughout the county. Public health continues to get 200 doses per week and the Eagle Grove pharmacy gets 100. The county’s positive number sat at 1,818 according to the state dashboard.
In his weekly report, County Engineer Adam Clemons asked the board to approve a resolution submitting a grant application to the Surface Transportation Block Grant program for paving to be done a few years down the road. The county would also have to commit funds for any costs that go over the grant amount. The board approved.
