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Pine County board adopts 2026 budget and $23.38 million levy; approves pay increases and appointments
Summary
The Pine County Board of Commissioners approved a $23,379,297 property tax levy and adopted the 2026 budget, along with salary increases for elected officials, a 3% COLA for nonunion staff, commissioner per diem changes, zoning board appointments and a bridge-priority resolution.
Pine County Board of Commissioners approved the county—s 2026 budget and set the property tax levy at $23,379,297 during a regular board meeting. Commissioners voted to adopt the attached 2026 budget summary and authorized the board chair and county administrator to sign the resolutions.
The board approved resolution 2025-46 setting the 2026 levy at $23,379,297 (motion by Commissioner Holland; second by Commissioner Ludwig) and resolution 2025-47 adopting the 2026 budget. Commissioners praised staff for holding the levy to the planned percentage after months of review. "When we set a target of 2.6% increase, our staff rose to that challenge," one commissioner said during debate.
Personnel-related actions approved included 5% salary increases for two elected officials: county attorney Reese Richardson and county sheriff Jeff Nelson, both effective Jan. 1, 2026. The personnel committee recommended Richardson—s salary be set at $171,999 and Sheriff Nelson—s at $156,338; each measure passed following committee recommendations and board votes with recorded opposition from at least one commissioner on each item.
The board also approved a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for nonunion, nonelected positions effective Jan. 1, 2026, and adopted the updated pay scale. Commissioners approved a market and COLA adjustment to commissioner compensation, setting the per diem at $115 with the chair receiving a 5% premium over other members.
Other formal actions recorded included the adoption of resolution 2025-48 establishing per diems for citizen boards and committees, and appointments to the Pine County zoning board: Nancy Riss (District 1), Kirk Nelson (District 3), Terry O'Rourke (District 5) and Patrick Schoepldecher (at-large), effective Jan. 1, 2026 and expiring Dec. 31, 2029. The board also passed a bridge replacement priority resolution to enable applications for state bridge bond funding, highlighting the Snake River/Main Street bridge in Pine City and a culvert on County Road 144 near Carrick.
Where votes were recited, the clerk called "Aye" and the motions carried; several items recorded brief opposing votes without roll-call tallies in the transcript. Minutes, consent agenda items and personnel committee reports were approved earlier in the meeting. The board confirmed the organizational meeting date required by statute for Jan. 6, 2026.
The board left open next steps on implementation detail for several actions (for example, recruitment timing for backfilled positions and the scheduling of bridge design phases) and directed staff to proceed with the resolutions and related administrative signatures.
