Thursday, March 28, 2024

Dodge County tax increase drafted to 3 per cent- Correction

At a long workshop Dec 20, the Dodge County Commissioners reviewed the budget one more time before their final meeting of the year. The final meeting was Tuesday, at which they approved the increase.

In September, they had approved a preliminary budget with a 4.8 per cent increase over last year.

Commissioner John Allen protested that increase and talked about how high taxes are for farmers who live within the Kasson-Mantorville School District. The District’s renovations of schools the past few years have raised taxes in the area.

The commissioners’ longest discussion involved vehicles belonging to the county. County Facilities and Fleet Manager Duke Harbaugh and County Administrator Jim Elmquist talked about the county’s plan to put Harbaugh in charge of all county vehicles. He would then prepare an inventory and make recommendations to the commissioners about replacements, if needed.

The county should keep vehicles until they reach at least 150,000 miles, said Allen.

Another item facing the commissioners is the ongoing costs from MnPrairie, County Alliance – the group that handles human services for Steele, Waseca, and Dodge County. If the organization’s expenses do not drop, there could be a huge levy in future years, remarked Allen.

One thing driving the costs is different standards set by the state prompted by the death of a 4-year-old boy in Pope County in 2013. His stepmother was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison in 2014. The county had received 15 reports of abuse to the boy from day care providers and teachers before he died.

 

The commissioners discussed proposed 2017 salaries for elected officials: commissioners, $21,191; county attorney (half time), $49,397; county sheriff, $96,790.

The commissioner salaries were compared to other similarly sized counties in the region. They include Fillmore at $21,570; Freeborn at $22,674; Goodhue at $21,694; Houston at $18,687; Mower at $24,200; Rice at $29,359; Steele at $21,886; and Wabasha at $17,324.

For the county sheriffs’ salaries, the salaries include Fillmore at $85,275; Freeborn at $82,500; Goodhue at $133,747; Houston at $84,875; Mower at $92,508; Rice at $99,459; Steele at $113,027; and Wabasha at $93,200.

The county attorney salaries for other counties were all for full time and average out at $52,822.

The commissioners then reviewed the fees charged for county services. One of the items concerned whether or not the highway department should charge for services done for other departments. For example, when the highway department does work on the parking lots at the Dodge County Historical Museum or at the transfer station, which department should pay for the gravel, equipment usage, and workers’ salaries?

There are two sides to the argument.

If the highway department could not do the work, those departments of the county would have to pay the going rates to outside contractors to have the work done. However, if the highway department has the time, equipment, and materials, shouldn’t they do the work for free?

The commissioners discussed the item at length and reached a consensus to have each request come before them in the new year and they will decide the charges to other departments, if any.

None of the above items could be voted on at this workshop. It was held after the regular monthly meeting at the Fairview Care Center in Dodge Center, which is affiliated with the county. The department heads wished David Erickson well as this was his last meeting as a commissioner. He retires at the end of this year.

 

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Dodge County Independent

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