Commission opens 2027 budget direction discussion; transient guest tax and outside agency funding debated

County staff opened the Commission's 2027 budget conversation, reviewing the budget calendar and seeking direction for department heads preparing draft worksheets. Staff said department budgets will be due in mid‑May with a first combined draft to the commission in June. "When I give those documents off to the department heads, we'll have individual departments... keep your commodities contractual capital flat, if not reduced," staff advised as a starting constraint for department submissions.

Commissioners expressed a strong preference not to raise the mill levy this year after a 1‑mill increase last year. Commissioner Nathan Leiker and others advocated keeping the levy flat and exploring alternative revenue, including pursuing a transient guest tax on hotels. Staff said state statute allows a 2% hotel tax by completing the required process and that the commission could direct staff to start working on documents for a 2% tax.

Discussion also focused on outside agency funding (about $1.3 million this year). Commissioners were hesitant to cut agencies that deliver mental‑health and transportation services; they flagged DSNWK and High Plains Mental Health as programs with rising requests. Staff noted High Plains requested an additional $100,000 this year for a Crisis Intervention Center and that a state grant (about $1,000,000 per year) under discussion could alter health‑department staffing without new property tax expense. Commissioners asked staff to keep outside‑agency funding flat where possible and to return with options for transient guest tax work and phased staffing requests for the sheriff's office and EMS.