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Dakota County certifies $1,037,693 levy for Vermillion River Watershed’s 2026 budget
Summary
The county board certified Dakota County’s share of the Vermillion River Watershed Management Tax District proposed levy — $1,037,693 for taxes payable in 2026 — after a presentation summarizing the watershed’s 2026 budget, capital projects and a 5% proposed levy increase.
The Dakota County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 9 certified the Dakota County portion of the Vermillion River Watershed Management Tax District proposed levy of $1,037,693 for taxes payable in 2026, following a presentation by Travis Thiel, administrator for the Vermillion River Watershed Joint Powers Organization.
Thiel outlined the watershed’s proposed 2026 budget: projected revenues and expenses of approximately $2,600,000, a projected fund balance of about $1,170,000 (approximately 44% of expenses) and a budget composition in which roughly 66% of expenditures go to capital improvement (CIP) projects.
Thiel said the watershed’s estimated tax capacity is just under $360,000,000 and that Dakota County accounts for about 96.2% of the watershed’s tax base, with Scott County representing roughly 3.8%. Applying the watershed’s proposed levy results in Dakota County’s share of $1,037,693 and Scott County’s share of about $40,000.
On the levy trend, Thiel said the proposed 2026 levy represents an approximate 5% increase over the prior year and that the tax-rate trend appears flat or slightly declining; he noted the estimated tax impact for the median-value household would rise by about $0.31.
Thiel highlighted completed or ongoing projects for 2025: alum treatment of Lake Alimagnet (reported to have tripled water clarity in the short term), a second year of invasive carp and goldfish removal from East Lake, stormwater capture and reuse at Grand Prairie Park in Lakeville (including irrigation and a recirculating splash pad design to reduce municipal water use), a storm-sewer sediment-separation installation on 200th Street in Lakeville, and infiltration basins at the new Rosemount Public Works and Police Facility to recharge groundwater.
Commissioner Droste (serving on the watershed JPO) invited board members to a project tour on Thursday, Sept. 25 from 9 a.m. to noon to view completed projects in Lakeville and Rosemount.
Motion and vote: Commissioner Droste moved to certify the Dakota County portion of the Vermillion River Watershed Management Tax District proposed levy at $1,037,693 for taxes payable in 2026; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Oberg. The clerk called the roll and the motion carried with affirmative votes from the commissioners present. (See actions[] for the formal record.)
The board thanked Thiel and Vermillion River Watershed members for the annual update and for the invitation to the project tour.
