Administrator outlines $156,000 general fund shortfall; commissioners discuss structural fixes

Kelly Schroeder, Pine County administrator, presented a mid-stage budget update for the 2026 levy and budget cycle, saying the county currently faces a general fund deficit of about $156,000 and an HHS fund deficit around $90,000 after departments refined figures. "So departments continue to refine their numbers...we are now sitting at a point where the general fund has a deficit of about $156,000, and the HHS fund has a deficit of about $90,000," Schroeder said, noting roughly $1.1 million of one-time resources had been applied to reduce the general fund gap.

Commissioners discussed options including tighter departmental accountability, overtime controls and systemic changes to avoid reliance on one-time funds. Auditor-Treasurer Mary Jensen said tighter controls on departmental overspending could help next year: "Fine tuning and holding departments more accountable to their budget," Jensen told the board, urging clearer oversight of overtime and spending authority. Commissioners agreed to begin structural planning in January and requested staff present recommendations during the budget cycle.