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Morton County Commission allocates $267,000 in State ARPA for boat ramp, approves $34.4 million preliminary budget
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Summary
The Morton County Commission approved a $267,000 allocation of State ARPA funds and a $130,000 park budget reduction for a new boat ramp, confirmed several board appointments and abatements, and adopted a preliminary 2024 budget of $34,446,785 with a $13,934,444 tax levy.
The Morton County Commission on July 25 approved allocating $267,000 in State American Rescue Plan Act funds to cover the county’s share of a new boat ramp at the Car Bodies site and simultaneously reduced the county park budget by $130,000 in the 2024 preliminary budget.
Commissioner Morrell moved to allocate the ARPA funds and Commissioner Nathan Boehm seconded. The motion passed 3–1, with Morrell, Commissioner Buckley and Chairman Boehm voting aye and Commissioner Zachmeier voting no.
The funding decision was the most contentious vote of the evening; the commission otherwise approved multiple routine items unanimously, including several property tax abatements and board appointments.
Debby Lafferty of the Morton County Council on Aging presented the organization’s proposed 2024 budget to the commission; the transcript records the presentation but does not include figures beyond what Lafferty presented to the board.
Mike Heilman, identified in the record as Superintendent of Schools, provided an update on rural schools; the record shows the update was given but does not include further detail in the minutes.
The commission approved three separate abatement motions: abatement #6232 (moved by Morrell, second Zachmeier), abatements #6233–6234 (moved Zachmeier, second Morrell), and abatements #6235–6236 (moved Buckley, second Morrell). All abatement motions carried with all commissioners voting aye.
The board made several appointments to county advisory bodies. Commissioners appointed Kevin Himmelspach and Jesse Kist to the Morton County Park Board for three-year terms ending June 30, 2026; Robin Thiel and Dennis Gustin to the Morton County School Reorganization Board for three-year terms ending June 30, 2026; and Rose Mary Lawson to the Three River Human Service Zone Board–Morton for a three-year term ending June 30, 2026. All appointments were approved unanimously.
The commission also moved and approved a preliminary 2024 budget of $34,446,785 and a total tax levy of $13,934,444; Commissioner Morrell moved and Commissioner Buckley seconded and the motion carried with all voting aye.
County Auditor Dawn R. Rhone reported that the total of all county funds expended from July 14 through July 25, 2023, equaled $665,465.16 and noted that a detailed list of checks is available for public inspection at the Auditor’s Office during regular business hours.
The meeting adjourned at 8:39 p.m. and the minutes were signed by Chairman Nathan Boehm and County Auditor Dawn R. Rhone.