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Linn County supervisors approve utilities valuation resolution and two departmental budgets
Summary
The board approved a code-required resolution setting centrally assessed utility valuations for 2025–26 and adopted fiscal year 2026 appropriations for Public Health and Human Resources; votes were by voice and no roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.
The Linn County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 15 approved three administrative items by voice vote: a code-required resolution fixing centrally assessed utility valuations for tax year 2025–26, the Public Health departmental budget, and the Human Resources departmental budget.
Deputy Auditor Rhonda Betsworth presented the utilities valuation resolution, describing it as a “code requirement” that sets assessed valuations for centrally assessed utilities — including pipelines, water, steam, railroad, and gas and electric production, transmission and distribution. She stated an assessed valuation of $2,000,815,004.51 for the centrally assessed utilities. Betsworth read a taxable-valuation figure during her remarks; the transcript’s numeric text for that figure was not clearly transcribed.
Why it matters: the annual certification of centrally assessed utility valuations is a statutory step finance offices must complete so property-tax rolls reflect values set outside local assessor offices. The board approved the resolution after brief questions and a motion; no roll-call vote or member-by-member tally was recorded in the meeting transcript.
On county budgets, Public Health and Human Resources staff presented fiscal year 2026 requests. The board approved the Public Health appropriations package and revenue estimate during the meeting. Public Health Director Pramod (first name given in the record) and staff described a total public-health appropriation of $8,508,069 and projected revenues near $3,882,639 for fiscal 2026; the department said roughly 60% of its budget comes from the board of supervisors and 40% from program revenue. The department also requested a new public-health nurse position funded from non‑county sources and internal reallocated funds; presenters said the position would be added “at no cost to Linn County.”
The board then approved the Human Resources appropriations request of $1,161,057. HR Director Lisa (surname not stated in the transcript) outlined two small contractual increases (a 3% increase in the NeoGov vendor contract and a $4,725 addition for debit-card administration) and proposed an HR recruitment and onboarding coordinator as a personnel offer that would be evaluated in later budget discussions. Supervisors noted HR’s workforce metrics showing faster hires and higher retention when HR supports departments during recruitment.
Votes at a glance: - Resolution fixing utility valuations for tax year 2025–26: motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote; vote tally: not recorded in transcript; note: described by Rhonda Betsworth as a code-required certification and approved after brief questions. - Public Health FY2026 appropriations: motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote; vote tally: not recorded in transcript; note: presentation included a $8,508,069 appropriation figure and $3,882,639 revenue estimate and a request for a nurse to be funded from grants and internal sources. - Human Resources FY2026 appropriations ($1,161,057): motion made and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote; vote tally: not recorded in transcript.
The board recessed after public comment and resumed to consider the budget items. Supervisors said several remaining departmental budgets still must be scheduled for the coming weeks and flagged that larger budgets — such as the county engineer and LCCS — remain to be reviewed.
Ending: The board adjourned after completing the scheduled budget votes and discussing the calendar for remaining budget hearings.
