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Commissioners to certify 2019 Brown County budget, levy adoption on Tuesday

Local Option Sales Tax hearing Tuesday

NEW ULM — Brown County commissioners will consider adopting the proposed $37,447,936 2019 Brown County Budget and Levy at 10:15 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 18.

The proposed levy is 2.25 percent ($293,935) above the 2018 certified levy. It must be certified to the Brown County Auditor/Treasurer by Dec. 28.

Commissioners may reduce the levy by corresponding reductions in expense line items or by applying additional reserve amounts to buy-down the levy increase. The 2.25 percent increase includes $319,825 in contingency funds for unbudgeted expenses.

The current draft 2019 budget includes $4,348,112 in reserves budgeted as revenue in order to lower the need or property tax levy revenue. That figure includes $4,185,000 in road & bridge funds from the Local Option Sales Tax for the CSAH 29 project.

Commissioners will also:

• Hold a public hearing to receive input on the continuation of a Local Option Sales Tax for Transportation at 11 a.m. Tuesday. In addition, commissioners will consider a resolution to continue the Local Option Sales Tax for Transportation.

Brown County began collecting the sales tax in the second quarter of 2016 and collected $4,250,000 through December 2018. It is estimated the sales tax will need to be collected through 2019 to have enough funds for the CSAH 29 construction project.

The current 10-year construction program includes several projects identified as using the Local Option Sales Tax for Transportation. If discontinued, projects will need to be cut from the 10-year program.

Projects to consider for the continuation of the sales tax as listed in the 10-year plan with estimated sales tax needed are CSAH 13 from New Ulm to Hanska in 2021, $3,700,000; CSAH 20 from CSAH 13 to TH 15 in 2022 $1,050,000; CSAH 20 from CSAH 16 to TH 4 in 2023 $2,100,000; and CSAH 27 from TH 14 to CSAH 11 in 2026 $2,100,000.

Estimates are based on current construction costs with inflation added to future years.

• Consider approving an $18,600 Fiscal Year 2018/2019 Natural Resources Block Grant for county residents with septic system issues and no match amount.

• Scheduling a fee revision public hearing for 11 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 22 in the commissioner’s room. Staff suggests increasing the On/Off Sale 3.2 Percent Malt Liquor license from $20 to $100, based on a June 2018 survey. The board may want to proposed a 3.2 one-day license fee increase.

• The Drainage Authority will consider affected landowner testimony at 1 p.m. Tuesday to approve the abandonment of portions of County Ditch 45 that were never constructed. In addition they will consider testimony to accept the engineer’s and viewer’s reports completed for CD 45, and authorized a $17,000 assessment with 4 percent interest to accrue after 60 days.

CD 45 has 1.83 acres to be acquired for buffer planting at a cost of $7,341 an acre for a total of $13,434. A construction easement is paid at 5 percent of land value on 10.32 cares for $3,787. Total damages paid to landowners will be $17,581.

• The Drainage Authority will hold a public hearing on CD 60 and consider testimony by affected landowners for the CD 60 engineers and viewers reports and authorize a $317,000 assessment with 4 percent interest to accrue after 60 days.

CD 60 has 29.31 acres to be acquired for buffer planting at a cost of $7,332 per acre for a total of $214,901. A construction easement on 112.83 acres is $41,409. Total damages paid to landowners is $256,449.

The board meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the courthouse commissioner’s room.

fbusch@njournal.com

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