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Clay County officials present $128.5 million budget and trim preliminary levy after public comment
Summary
County staff presented a proposed $128.54 million 2026 budget and a preliminary $48.23 million levy; after staff cuts and one‑time savings the board said the net levy projection fell from 6.46% to about 4.4%. Residents urged the board not to cut rural transit services.
Clay County officials on Tuesday presented the county’s proposed 2026 budget and defended a preliminary levy that would raise county property taxes while also outlining steps that have reduced the proposed increase.
County Administrator Steve Larson said the proposed county levy of $48,233,076 supports a $128,539,419 expenditure plan that includes general fund needs, social services and roadwork. Larson told the board the preliminary net levy increase had been 6.46% but that staff and commissioners had taken actions — including using fund balance and negotiating insurance savings — to lower the net levy projection to about 4.4% before a final vote.
Why it matters: the levy determines the county portion of property taxes homeowners and farmers pay. Larson presented examples showing that under the preliminary levy a $250,000 Moorhead home would have seen a county portion increase about $22.48 based on assumptions used earlier in the process; after the reductions staff estimated that same homeowner’s county portion would be roughly a $2.18 increase under the updated figures.
Larson said the budget includes passthrough federal and state dollars and internal-service funds that explain the gap between total expenditures and levy collections. He described the levy breakdown by category — general reserves, social services, roads and bridges, and debt retirement — and cited Resolution 25‑22, which had established the preliminary levy in September.
Public comment focused on rural services. Farmer and town‑board member Lauren Ingebritson told the board she opposed cutting the rural senior bus, saying the service “provides a way for them to stay in their homes.” Britney Nesbold of Felton described how the service enables her mother to get to dialysis in Dilworth. Mark Haugen, a volunteer driver with REACH in Holly, warned volunteer programs have limited capacity and ridership is growing.
“Without that bus, it would be very difficult for her to get there,” Nesbold said of her mother’s dialysis trips.
Larson acknowledged the rural transit allocation had been removed from the budget and said staff would revisit options after listening to the public. He also pointed commissioners to a State of Minnesota auditor comparison showing Clay County’s levy and spending relative to other counties.
What’s next: staff will return with a formal resolution to set the final levy and budget for 2026. The board scheduled a resolution and final vote next week; administration stressed the preliminary numbers presented Tuesday reflect the September levy action and that further small adjustments remain possible.
