Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Pine County board sets preliminary 2026 levy after budget debate
Summary
County commissioners set a preliminary levy of $23.38 million (about 2.6%) after weeks of budget work, approving a package that includes targeted support for Health & Human Services and a mix of savings and modest revenue increases.
The Pine County Board of Commissioners voted to set a preliminary levy of $23,379,297 — approximately a 2.6% increase — after a long budget discussion focused on department deficits and potential savings. The motion was approved by voice vote with one recorded opposing vote.
County auditor and treasurer Kelly Schroeder said the board had narrowed an earlier gap to a workable level by identifying roughly $350,000 in one‑time savings from 2025 and proposing a modest levy increase alongside staff-led cuts. "We have until September 30 to adopt our preliminary levy," Schroeder told the board, outlining a remaining general fund deficit and a separate $523,000 shortfall in Health & Human Services (HHS). She recommended a targeted 1.5% levy allocation to HHS to address part of that gap.
Commissioners debated alternatives, including continued vacancy reviews, potential adjustments to health insurance rates and a proposal to increase the county solid‑waste parcel fee from $10 to $12 to generate roughly $40,000 a year. Several members urged a conservative approach to ongoing levy growth; one commissioner noted land‑sale opportunities as a longer‑term revenue source but agreed sales would not solve the immediate 2026 shortfall. The board approved the preliminary levy to provide a working budget ceiling; the final levy will be adopted after additional fall review and the December truth‑in‑taxation hearing.
