Wabasha County gets two-year reprieve on some state cost shifts; reviews 2026 capital and community funding requests

Wabasha County commissioners were told June 17 that several anticipated state cost shifts and cuts likely will be delayed for about two years, giving the county extra time to plan its budget, and the board reviewed a batch of capital and community funding requests for fiscal 2026.

A county staff member told the board the Legislature’s recently convened session appears to have postponed many of the cost shifts and cuts the county had been preparing for. “We have about a 2 year reprieve to try to figure out how we’re gonna handle some of those items,” the staff member said, adding that the county’s earlier worst-case estimate of roughly $1,100,000 will be “significantly less” though an exact figure is not yet available.

That staff update also noted aquatic invasive species funding that had been expected to be cut will be fully funded through at least 2028, according to the staff member. The presenter said many of the changes appear to be written into legislation and thus are likely to take effect after the current delay, giving the county time to plan but not eliminating the obligation.

After the update, Gwen (county staff) briefed commissioners on capital and community requests that are being considered for the 2026 budget. Requests listed for 2026 included: a $5,000 senior nutrition request; a $97,332 request listed as "Sumtra HRA"; a $1,069 request for Southeast Minnesota tourism; $3,150 for the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation; $25,000 for the Wabasha County Fair; $15,000 for the county historical society; a $140,000 request for a Wabasha County soil-and-conservation item; and a $4,009.82 request for the Whitewater River watershed project. Gwen also noted one cost item shown as a contract total and several pending squad-car replacement quotes for the sheriff’s department that were not finalized and therefore are only estimates.

Gwen told the board that Southeast Minnesota Emergency Medical Services (SE MEMS) had submitted a request but that a 2026 dollar amount was not included in the materials and that she would follow up. Department budgets are due July 7; Gwen said not all departmental budgets will be complete by then because some allocations are not provided until late July or early August.

Commissioner reports touched on several topics unrelated to the budget: South Country Health Alliance, the County Road 84 project and Blanding’s turtles opening eligibility for different funding, a speed study that kept the speed limit at 55 mph on County Road 30 in front of the high school, treatment court referrals, the resignation of Don Hogg as executive director of an emergency medical board effective July 1, an upcoming 40-hour online telecommunicator certification, and workforce development discussions about a roughly $2.3 million proposed budget reduction for that program year.

Votes at a glance: The board approved the agenda (motion by Commissioner Powers; second by Commissioner Wakas), approved the consent agenda (motion by Commissioner Wages; second by Commissioner Springer) — which included minutes, claims, per diems, donations to the sheriff’s department for a drone from Kellogg American Legion Post ($2,000), Elgin Fire Department ($2,000) and Bernard Fleschey VFW Post in Lake City ($1,000), approval of election machine battery purchases, liquor license actions, and a Southeast Minnesota Homeland Security and Emergency Management Joint Powers Agreement — and recessed to the Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. that evening (motion by Commissioner Watkins; second by “Wabi”). Each motion was adopted on voice vote; no roll-call tallies were provided in the meeting record.

What’s next: Staff will follow up on the missing Southeast Minnesota Emergency Medical Services 2026 dollar amount and continue preparing departmental budgets ahead of the July 7 deadline. The board recessed to the scheduled Board of Appeal and Equalization meeting at 6 p.m.