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Commissioners vote to notify County Clerk to exceed the revenue-neutral rate, setting higher mill levy cap
Summary
After debate over salary rollouts and possible valuation drops, Ottawa County commissioners voted 2–1 to notify the County Clerk to exceed the revenue-neutral rate to 83.387 mills for the RNR hearing while retaining the option to lower the levy to 81.564. Commissioners also approved exceeding the RNR for six fire districts at 34.964 mills.
The Ottawa County Board of County Commissioners voted July 14 to notify the County Clerk that it intends to exceed the revenue-neutral rate (RNR), setting a cap of 83.387 mills for the RNR hearing while keeping the option to lower the levy to 81.564.
County Clerk Tammi Cox reviewed the 2026 budget materials and explained that the RNR intent filing must indicate whether the Commission will exceed the RNR, the proposed mill levy, and the date and time of the RNR and budget hearing. Commissioner Carla Grund said she favored a more gradual rollout of salary increases and a larger property-tax decrease, but in the interest of compromise signaled she would vote with the board on the agreed approach. Commissioner Duane Morris urged caution about immediately lowering the mill levy amid potential drops in county valuation due to state-assessed utilities.
A motion by Commissioner Grund to notify the County Clerk to exceed the RNR at 81.564 mills failed for lack of a second. A subsequent motion by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Mortimer, to set the RNR notification at 83.387 mills with the option to lower to 81.564 passed 2–1 (Morris and Mortimer yes; Grund no). The board also unanimously approved exceeding the RNR intent on a combined basis for the county's six fire districts at 34.964 mills.
The Commission's action establishes the maximum levy the County Clerk may publish for the required RNR hearing; the Commission retains authority to reduce the levy at or before the public hearing. No final budget adoption was recorded in this meeting.
