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Board schedules separate April budget hearing; staff outline winter-weather closure process
Summary
Supervisors set a separate public hearing for the budget on April 2 (proposed 9:30 a.m.) and discussed the county’s budget mailer, publication timing and winter-weather closure procedures and telework guidance for employees.
The Linn County Board of Supervisors discussed the 2025 budget-mailer schedule, public hearing timing and winter-weather procedures during its Feb. 11 meeting.
Staff and board members agreed the required public hearing should be a separate meeting as prescribed by state code; the board discussed holding the hearing at 9:30 a.m. on April 2 to allow time for public questions and then to convene the regular board meeting shortly after. Finance staff noted the county must publish notices in the Gazette and that the newspaper’s print schedule change (to Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays) affects timing; the county will also post documents online and on social media and provide explanatory presentations, as it did the prior year to reduce public confusion.
On content, finance staff said there is an area in the mailed notice where the county may add explanatory language to justify budget changes. Supervisors asked that the âjustificationâ language be carefully worded because last year wording describing wage increases prompted heavy public comment; staff agreed they would review and soften language as appropriate before publication.
The board also reviewed procedures for winter-weather decisions. County policy requires notification to contracted media (KCRG, WMT) at least one hour before the earliest shift when offices close; staff said they also notify KWWL and KGAN and maintain logins for county and partnered agencies to post closure notices. The county collects road-condition reports from secondary roads and sheriff dispatch and may consult deputies. If conditions warrant, staff said they will call supervisors in the early morning to discuss delay or closure options. Managers retain discretion to allow individual employees who have prior telework approval to work from home on a weather-impacted day; HR and IT are continuing to refine systems and approvals for broader remote-work arrangements.
Finance staff also briefed the board on publication logistics for the budget mailer and the goal of giving taxpayers nearly two weeks to review mailed notices before the public hearing. The board directed staff to proceed with scheduling, updating the mailer justification language and preparing a public-facing presentation at the hearing to explain the budget details.
