Prepared by the Wabasha County Finance Director
The purpose is to explain the proposed budget and proposed tax levy for 2021 and to obtain public feedback on the proposed County Budget
Market values shown on your Truth In Taxation notice are final and are NOT a subject of the hearing tonight.
Values for the 2021 assessment (taxes payable in 2021) were discussed and established at the local Boards of Review and the County Board of
Equalization held earlier this year.
Wabasha County Mission Statement
The mission of Wabasha County Government is to administer statutory services to citizens in a simple, efficient, and fiscally responsible manner.
Wabasha County Values Statement
Wabasha County government places a high value on processes that are simple, efficient and effective, and on conducting business in a fiscally responsible manner.
Wabasha County Vision Statement
Wabasha County government will be characterized by administering services
efficiently, effectively and simply. Wabasha County government will ensure that the
services rendered by the County are readily/easily accessed by those who need them.
Budget Committee To facilitate the budget process the County appointed a budget committee consisting of the following members for the 2021 Budget:
Brian Buhmann, County Administrator
Deb Koenig, Finance Director
Gwen Resech, Finance Supervisor
Mike Wobbe, Board Chair
Cheryl Key, Board Member
The budget committee meets to review the budget process and review requests in order to make recommendations to the Board regarding the proposed budget. The objective of the Committee is to strive to continue to fund County Services provided to our tax payers with a minimal increase to the levy for 2021.
Budget Proceess
• April-June Work begins on the budget. Departments are provided forms that are to be completed and submitted to Finance.
• July-August The Budget committee meets to review department requests. The committee meets with department heads as needed. Requests for additional personnel are handled by the Personnel Committee.
• September The Proposed budget is approved and the preliminary Levy is set.
• November Truth-in-Taxation notices are mailed. Budget review continues.
• December The budget hearing is held. County Board adopts final budget and Levy.
Outside Agency Requests The Finance Director contacts various local organizations to submit requests to be included in the budget. The budget committee reviews the requests and recommendations are submitted to the Board for the final decision.
Budget and Levy Adoption Minnesota Statute 275.065 requires counties to adopt a proposed budget and tax levy by September 30th
thfor the following year. The County board approved the 2021 proposed budget and tax levy at the regular board meeting on September 15th. In November proposed tax notices (Truth in Taxation Notices) are mailed to County taxpayers. The public hearing is to be held in November or December. The County’s hearing is being
conducted on December 1st. The county board is required to pass a final budget and certify the final property tax levies to the county auditor no later than five business days after December 20. The county board plans on
adopting the final levy and budget at their December 22nd meeting.
Wabasha County’s 2021 preliminary tax levy was set at a 0% increase over 2020.
A significant portion of the County’s budget is used to provide programs and services to our residents including those required by both state and federal laws referred to as mandates, along with others.
◦ Public safety functions include patrol services, prosecution, criminal
investigations, detention facilities, dispatch and emergency management.
◦ Construction and maintenance of roads and bridges is handled by the Highway Department.
◦ Human services and Public Health programs are provided by the county, including mental health services, child protection, child support
enforcement, health education and disease prevention.
◦ Other County services include administration, maintaining land records, land
valuations, property tax collections, election administration, planning and
zoning regulation, solid waste collection, recycling, water planning, veterans
services and an extension office.
The County is governed by a five-member board of commissioners elected from districts within the County to serve overlapping four-year terms of office. The current County Board consists of the following individuals
:o
District 1 - Rich Hall, Vice Chairperson
oDistrict 2 - Brian Goihl, Commissioner
oDistrict 3- Don Springer, Commissioner
oDistrict 4 - Mike Wobbe, Chairperson
oDistrict 5 - Cheryl Key, Commissioner
The County has 166 regular full-time employees along with two part-time and several seasonal and casual part-time positions
.
Budgeted revenues for 2021 are $31,453,076. The budget expenditures have been
established at $31,349,466. This is a decrease in expenditures of $3,279,223. More
details on revenues and expenditure will be provided in the following pages.
Fund Adopted 2020 Proposed 2021 Change
General Revenue $8,358,627 $8,428,270 $69,643
Social Services 1,955,413 1,936,903 (18,510)
Road & Bridge 2,485,706 2,402,281 (83,425)
Public Health 357,175 411,442 54,267
Building 415,814 347,733 (68,081)
Capital Equipment 292,016 327,215 35,199
Soil & Water 120,000 125,500 5,500
Whitewater Watershed 4,982 4,982 0
Debt Service (CJC) 1,499,715 1,505,122 5,407
Total County Levy $15,489,448 $15,489,448 0
SEMMCHRA Levy $105,550 $107,500 $1,950
County Program Aid $1,014,660 $1,051,784 $37,124
Fund
Proposed Budget
Expenditures Amount of
Levy % Covered
by Levy % of Levy
General* 12,081,704 8,558,752 70.84% 55.26%
General - Capital Projects 329,667 327,215 99.26% 2.11%
Human Services 5,713,574 1,936,903 33.90% 12.50%
Highway 9,792,698 2,402,281 24.53% 15.51%
Building 351,072 347,733 99.05% 2.24%
Public Health 1,666,876 411,442 24.68% 2.66%
Debt Service 1,413,875 1,505,122 106.45% 9.72%
31,349,466 15,489,448
*Incudes General Government, Public Safety, Sanitation, Conservation, Culture & Recreation, Economic Development
$- $2,000,000 $4,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 $12,000,000 $14,000,000
2019 2020 2021
2019-2021 Budgeted Expenditures
General Government Public Safety
Sanitation Culture & Rec Conservation
Economic Development Unallocated-General Human Services Road & Bridge Building
Capital Equipment Public Health Debt Service-CJC
$- $2,000,000 $4,000,000 $6,000,000 $8,000,000 $10,000,000 $12,000,000 $14,000,000 $16,000,000 $18,000,000
2019 2020 2021
2019 – 2021Budgeted Revenues
Property Taxes
State Property Tax Aids Other Taxes
Licences & Permits Federal Grants/Aids State Grants/Aids Other Government Charges for Services Fines & Forfeits Investment Income Gifts & Contributions Miscellaneous Revenues Sale of Assets
General Revenue Fund
IT Related Items as needed $42,000
Squad Replacements $104,493
Camera System for Squads $17,750
Replace Radios-Jail $5,624
Jail Security Items $3,800
Road and Bridge Fund
Equipment Replacement $444,645
Public Health Fund
Replace Conference Room Chairs $6,000
Vehicle Replacement $30,000
Building Fund
Various HVAC Projects (multi-year funding) $37,500
Wabasha Highway Shop-replace concrete & add in-floor heat $28,000
Wabasha Highway Shop-replace boiler $18,000
Wabasha Highway Office-replace doors & windows, insulate $35,000
Services Building-Second floor bathroom remodel $5,000
Carpet Replacement-Dispatch $6,000
HVAC System Upgrades (Honeywell Project) $171,572
Agency 2019
Approved
2020
Approved
2021 Proposed
Historical Society $13,000 $8,000 $8,000
SEMCAC $2,500 $2,500 $2,500
Three Rivers-Meals on Wheels $2,500 $2,500 $0
SELCO (contract) $155,493 $159,380 $163,364
Soil & Water $115,000 $120,000 $125,500
Whitewater Watershed $4,982 $4,982 $4,982
So MN Initiative Foundation $3,000 $3,000 $3,000
Wabasha County Fair Association $20,000 $20,000 $15,000
Southern MN Tourism $750 $750 $750
Lake Zumbro Improvement District $35,000 $27,500 $0
City of Preston-Veteran’s Home Pledge $5,000 $0 $0
SE MN Emergency Medical Service JPB $5,000 $5,000 $5,000
The Southeastern Minnesota Multi-County Housing and Redevelopment Authority 2021 Proposed Levy was set at
$107,500.
The contract with the University of MN-Extension for the 4-H coordinator position is $75,256 for 2021.
The County’s current credit rating assigned by Standard and Poor’s is AA+ based on having “good” financial policies and practices along with a strong budgetary performance and flexibility.
The County consistently has been issued an unmodified opinion in regards to the County’s financial statements. This means that the financial
statements are fairly presented and conform with applicable accounting
standards.
A change in the market value of the property.
A change in the market value of other properties in your taxing district.
The property tax classification changed.
The State General Property Tax may change.
Levy changes by the County, Township, City, School District, or Special Districts.
Special assessments have been added to your property tax bill.
Voter approved referendums.
Changes to federal or state mandates.
Changes to Aid and Revenues received from the State or Federal Governments.
Legislative changes that adjust how taxes are calculated.
Rich Hall 22540 595 St Kellogg, MN 55945 (507) 534-3509
Brian Goihl
66320 287thAvenue Lake City, MN 55041 [email protected] (651)764-0255
Don Springer
56878 County Road 2 Millville, MN 55957 (507) 259-2666
Mike Wobbe 65685 186thAve Wabasha, MN 55981 (651) 564-0175
Cheryl Key
1175 Valley View Road Lake City, MN 55041 (507) 271-3009
