Posted: 12/27/05
Houston County levy to rise 8.75 percent
County commissioners approve an 8.75 percent levy increase at their December 20 meeting.
The 2006 net levy unanimously adopted was $6,352,000. Commissioners felt that the increase was justified with the rising cost of energy and less money coming from the state.
The board also approved a 2006 operating budget. It has revenues of $17,900,753 and expenditures of $18,141,200, leaving a deficit of $240,447. The deficit will be made up from the countyís unallocated fund balance, which auditor Pete Johnson estimated at being between $2.5 and $3 million. The balance as of December 31, 2004 was $2,915,620.
In other business, the board approved a supplemental agreement with Minnowa Construction of Harmony for $2,063 to use a hydraulic soil stabilizier rather than a erosion control blanket on the approaches on a new bridge under construction on County Road 24. This will save the county money, county engineer Tracey Von Bargen said, because the cost of an erosion control blanket that was estimated to be $4,840. The bridge is ready to have its deck poured, Von Bargen said, but several days of above-freezing weather will be required for that to happen.
The board also approved using Erickson Engineering of Bloomington, Minnesota, for a possible bridge replacement on County Road 9 in section 14 of Houston Township. The bridge was originally programmed for 2010, but Von Bargen is exploring the option of putting it in with a grading plan that is taking place in 2007.
Other business: personnel items, thanks, and closed session
ï In personnel matters, the board voted to add Joyce Poelvoorde to its list of transport drivers. Home health aides Anita Meyer and Deb Lind were increased from 4/5ths to full-time effective first of the year.
ï Russ Krech of Caledonia told the board that he wanted to publicly thank Jean Meiners of the U of M Extension Service in Caledonia for helping to promote the hay sale that takes place in Caledonia on the second Friday of the month from December-March.
ï The board went into closed session at the request of personnel director Tim Comstock to formalize a strategy on how to compensate non-union, appointed officials for 2006.
Caledonia Argus
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