Board selects preliminary levy option and sets public hearing for April 20

After a multi‑hour budget workshop, staff reviewed several levy and fund‑balance scenarios and the board chose a preliminary option (referred to in materials as option 6) to publish ahead of the required public hearing. Finance staff summarized how using incremental fund balances (e.g., $100,000–$300,000 scenarios) would affect county levy rates and noted that using $300,000 of balances would lower the countywide levy toward a previously cited figure; staff also cautioned that pending state legislation and a possible 2% revenue cap make future projections uncertain.

Board members debated tradeoffs — whether to use reserves now to reduce one‑year rates versus preserving capacity for future years — and discussed targeted adjustments (rural supplemental fund, equity adjustments, and hiring decisions for IT, conservation and public health). The board voted to publish option 6 for public notice and scheduled a public hearing on April 20 at 9 a.m.; staff will prepare the publication and model adjustments for further review before the hearing. Finance staff noted: “I think we're at $5.61 now before using any fund balance,” referencing the county levy before proposed fund‑balance adjustments.