Houghton County adopts 2024–25 budget after hearing on IT needs and prosecutor funding

The Houghton County Board of Commissioners voted 5–0 on Sept. 10 to adopt Resolution 24-17, the county's General Appropriations Act for Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025. Commissioner Joel Keranen moved to adopt the resolution and Commissioner Glenn Anderson seconded; the motion passed with all five commissioners voting yes.

During a public hearing on the budget, Administrator Larson discussed the county's IT needs, describing a line for "Cost of Computing" and noting $3,879 listed as revenue for that item for the coming year. Bernard Kluskens of the IT Department told the board many county computers are about 10 to 12 years old and said they cannot be upgraded to Windows 11 on the existing hardware. Prosecutor Dan Helmer told the board that a recent server replacement preserved 20 years of office data and reiterated that his office is underfunded and seeking reclassification for two employees.

Resolution 24-17 adopts the General Fund Operating Budget, Special Revenue Fund budgets and other proprietary fund budgets; it authorizes appropriations from county revenues and equity reserves and allows the county administrator to make budget transfers consistent with board policy (limited to 10 percent of departmental expenditures). The resolution also requires agencies that accept county appropriations to agree to inspection and audit access by the county or its designee.

The board's adoption makes the budgets effective Oct. 1, 2024. Administrator Larson was instructed to incorporate wages and related fringe benefits for county elected and appointed employees as authorized by the board. The board noted that adoption is not a mandate to spend but sets limits for the fiscal year and that any unit claiming restricted year-end fund balances must demonstrate those restrictions to the board's satisfaction.