Stearns County appoints chair and vice chair to tri‑county airport working group amid levy concerns

The Stearns County Board of Commissioners voted to appoint the board chair and vice chair to a short-term working group with Benton and Sherburne counties to address concerns about airport levy authority, communications and accountability.

Commissioners said the airport commission's prior decision to pursue property tax levy authority without extensive notice to county partners had raised tensions. "The airport commission was proposing last year to impose a property tax, which they have full authority to do, but did that really without any conversation with or notice to the 4 partners agreement," said Doctor Williams, county administrator, describing the background and the reason counties sought a joint meeting.

Commissioner Persky said he would participate and urged balancing representation and preserving documentary accountability about prior promises. "I would just like to see, make sure that we have some type of balance and compromise and some accountability for what was said and what was put in the contract," Persky said.

Commissioner Clark moved that the chair and vice chair represent Stearns County on the working group; Commissioner Persky seconded. The motion passed. Board members asked that the initial meeting be limited to two commissioners from each county, that administrators jointly draft an agenda, and that a recap be shared with the full boards after the meeting.

Board members described the working group as a first step that could lead to additional meetings. Several commissioners said the early meeting should focus on clarifying the top issues—levy limits, tax-statement placement, and in‑kind contributions by the City of St. Cloud—before involving broader membership or the city.

The motion passed by majority vote and the chair was directed to coordinate logistics with the Benton and Sherburne chairs.