County budget proposed

The proposed county budget for the new year includes a .666-mill levy decrease and pay raises for all full-time county employees.

With an $8.6 million increase in the county’s assessed valuation, the new proposed budget will still generate an additional $540,899 in county taxes.

The county’s assessed valuation has been set at $142,968,940, up from $134,317,971 this year. In 2021, the county valuation was set at $131,091,640. The county has no outstanding debt.

The proposed mill rate for the 2023 budget, which begins Jan. 1, is 73 mills, down from the current year’s 73.666 mills.

The proposed mill rate is above the county revenue neutral rate and will require an additional hearing before the budget is approved. 

In order to have a revenue neutral budget, the county’s mill rate would have to be 69.209 mills, it was reported. 

The proposed budget includes a 50 cents an hour cost of living raise for all full-time county employees, as well as an additional 50 cents an hour for road and bridge employees. This is being considered a “merit” increase for road and bridge employees, it was reported.

The commissioners reported that the road and bridge department is down six employees, noting that it’s been difficult to find employees to fill the positions and to keep them. 

 Currently, the county is offering a $500 bonus to any county employee who recruits a new driver for the road and bridge department. If the driver stays employed with the county for one year, both the driver and the recruiting employee will receive $500, it was reported.

In addition, county department heads will receive a $1 an hour raise, and elected officials, including the county commissioners, will receive an additional $3,120 as part of their annual salary (which is equal to a $1.50 an hour raise). 

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office is also receiving an additional $108,000 in its budget to increase employee salaries and to stay competitive. 

“With all those raises, we were still able to lower the mill levy due to the higher assessed values,” Commissioner Ed Kathrens. 

The proposed budget also includes an additional $145,713 (about one mill) for ambulance services. 

The county recently signed a new three-contract with Jackson County EMS. For 2023, the contract is $497,712.96. This year, the county is paying $352,000 to Jackson County EMS. 

With the new budget, the county expects to collect $10,436,838 in local taxes, which is up from the estimated $9,895,939 being collected this year.

The county’s maximum budget authority for the proposed budget totals $18,466,148, which includes $8,141,485 for the general fund, $3,898,815 for the road and bridge department and $3,538,887 for the sheriff’s office. 

Other department budgets include $290,751 for noxious weed, $175,710 for elderly services, $219,000 for the 911 fund, $192,00 for parks and recreation, $200,000 for the special alcohol fund and $130,000 for the auto tag fee fund. 

A total of $1,679,00 is being budgeted for in the county’s special .4 percent sales tax fund for road and bridge projects.

A public hearing to discuss the county’s intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate for the 2023 budget will be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at the meeting room at the Jackson County Courthouse.