Nicollet County holds public input on proposed 2025 budget; preliminary levy remains at 3.5%

County officials presented the proposed 2025 Nicollet County budget and preliminary levy at a public input meeting on Dec. 5, 2024, telling residents the board set a preliminary levy of 3.5% (about $27,335,294) at its Sept. 24 meeting and that the total proposed budget for 2025 is $57,352,173.

County Administrator Mandy Lane walked through slides showing revenue and expenditure trends, fund breakdowns and examples of tax impacts for different property classes. Lane said a 1% levy increase equals $264,110 and that the 3.5% proposal represents roughly a $924,321 increase from 2024 to 2025. She told the board the county proposes establishing a building fund in 2025 to begin setting aside money for a future public works facility and to smooth the need for borrowing.

The presentation named personnel and rising operating costs as major drivers of the budget. Lane said the proposed 2025 budget includes four full-time positions (three in health and human services and one in public works) and highlighted increases tied to criminal justice services, road and bridge work, and health and human services.

On valuation and timing, County Assessor’s Office staff (introduced in the meeting packet as Jackie Copen) explained how valuation and tax timelines work. “This is step 2 of the process,” Copen said, describing the sequence: value notices were mailed in March 2024; local appeals and the county board review concluded earlier in the year; the appeal window is now closed and further disputes would go to tax court. Copen emphasized that 2025 taxes are based on 2024 values and that valuations generally lag the market by about a year.

Residents questioned examples used in the slides and how recent high or low land sales feed into valuations. Taylor Rudnick, a Nicollet resident, cited county data showing a 2024 per-acre average in one township of roughly $98,100 and asked when recent sales on Highway 14 would be reflected in valuations. Copen said sales data are one piece of the valuation formula and that it can take a year or more for particular sales to affect taxable values.

Several residents pressed the county on farmland prices and tax impacts. Lynn Fliggy said offhand figures of roughly $17,000 per acre for some recent sales are causing concern among landowners. “17,000, I heard some commercial stuff at North Mankato sold for that,” Fliggy said. Lane and assessor staff said the $1.2 million example used in the presentation was illustrative, not an average, and reiterated the multi-factor approach to valuation.

Staff noted supporting materials were prepared with assistance from the Association of Minnesota Counties and other partners and that printed packets and the slideshow are available on the county website. Lane thanked staff, department heads and the board for work on this year’s budget.

The board is scheduled to set the final 2025 budget at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at the boardroom. No formal vote on the final levy was taken at the Dec. 5 public input meeting.