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Woodbury County discusses FY2026 budget, holds levy flat with several transfers approved
Summary
County officials debated FY2026 projections and approved a package of budget adjustments to hold the levy flat, including a $500,000 upward revision to projected Marshall facility revenue, a $10,000 increase to workers' compensation expense, and auditor-transfer adjustments to balance rural funds; all motions passed 4–0.
Woodbury County budget staff presented projections for fiscal year 2026 and the Board of Supervisors approved several budget adjustments designed to keep the property-tax levy unchanged.
Budget staff reported added expenses — including $150,000 for well-cap costs and $600,000 for Marshall room and board — that contributed to a roughly $1.017 million deficit in general-basic projections. To narrow that gap, staff recommended increasing the county's estimate of Marshall facility revenue; Ryan, who oversees Marshall revenue projections, recommended adding $500,000 based on a conservative inmate-census forecast (he said rerunning at 100 inmates yields an estimate of $1,782,000). The board adopted that upward revision for the beginning balance projection.
The auditor's office also discovered a clerical error in FY2025 transfers: a $39,000 auditor transfer that had not been recorded into rural basic, which staff corrected and used to improve rural-basic beginning balances. Treasurer Tina Bertrren told the board she had reduced interest-rate projections for FY26 toward about 3% but noted current short-term yields remain around 4%, and staff are using short CD roll strategies to maximize returns.
To hold the levy flat, the board passed a series of motions: reduce general supplemental tax revenue by $474,481; increase budgeted workers' compensation expense by $10,000 (to mitigate a potential $160,000 exposure discussed earlier); and move $129,800 among auditor-transfer lines between rural-basic and rural-supplemental accounts to maintain balance. Each motion passed unanimously, recorded as 4–0.
Board members emphasized these steps are cautious adjustments: staff will continue refining projections and present options if fund balances or the health self-insurance fund require further action. The board directed staff to prepare options for health-fund resiliency and any necessary premium or contribution changes ahead of the July 1 funding cycle.
