More than 2 percent increase in general basic levy
~by Janice Harbaugh for GreeneCountyNewsOnline
After spending three months discussing the budget for fiscal year 2022 (July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022), the county board of supervisors discussed the budget compilation as presented to them by auditor Jane Heun at their Feb. 16 meeting.
Heun told the board there will likely be a 2.16 percent increase in general services property tax dollars, or an increase of $97,000. She also said an increase of 5.25 percent, or $93,000, is likely in rural services property tax dollars (paid by rural residents in addition to the general levy).
Heun said the reasons for increases in general services property tax dollars include higher insurance costs, increased costs in operating a new law enforcement administrative building, and the county’s share of the cost of repairing the bike trail bridge.
She explained the reasons for increases in rural services property tax dollars comes from increased law enforcement-related costs including an additional county deputy, and a 2 percent increase in funding for secondary roads.
A public hearing will be held to set maximum property tax levies for general and rural funds of the county. No date was set for the proposed property tax levies. The board agreed the date will be set at the board meeting on Feb 18.
The supervisors also heard a request from the Jefferson Kiwanis Club for Louis Dreyfus funds to be used for a Milwaukee Depot garden project.
Bill Raney represented the club and requested $1,000 to help fund the replacement of planter beds first installed in 2005 with a perennial garden along the bike trail. Raney said the old planter beds have become overgrown. The new garden will include grasses.
Raney said Greene County conservation has agreed to provide $1,000 toward the project and the Kiwanis members will do much of the work.
“We have worked with the Garden Club, too,” said Raney “We’ll need landscaping fabric, rock, and fertilizer.”
Chair John Muir said,” It’s great you got several groups involved. We want it to be special.”
The board unanimously approved $1,000 in Dreyfus funds for the project.
Dreyfus funds are $50,000 provided to the county each year by Louis Dreyfus LLC in lieu of property taxes on the ethanol plant near Grand Junction.
Also, in connection with the Raccoon River Valley bike trail, the board unanimously approved the execution of a contract with Dixon Construction of Correctionville for the repair of the bike trail bridge 2.5 miles south of Jefferson. The contract had been awarded to Dixon on Feb 1.
County attorney Thomas Laehn reported the Midland Power installment contract will be ready for the board’s consideration at the regular meeting on Feb. 22. The Midland Power administrative building, located west of the municipal cemetery, is being purchased as a new Law Enforcement Center.
Laehn and the supervisors discussed progress on policies for music to be played at the Mahanay Memorial Carillon Tower.
Laehn said he’s working to determine “if we have proper licenses in place so we’re not violating copyright (by performing copyrighted music on the bells without paying royalties.)”
Laehn also asked the board about a request for music that had been made prior to the silencing of the bells in January. Laehn said an outside group had made a request to a Maestro for several songs to be played on Feb 22.
Laehn said formal policies will not be in place by Feb 22 but the request was made before the board determined written policies were needed.
“It seems unfair to not allow it,” said Muir.
After discussion, the board agreed to honor the request for special music.
In other business, engineer Wade Weiss reported the state has received $150 million in COVID relief for transportation. Weiss said the relief funds for Greene County will come to the county through normal road use tax distribution.
He anticipates an additional $260,430 for local funding and $84,371 for farm-to-market funding.
The supervisors heard the second reading of a proposed dust control ordinance and, having received no objections or changes, waived the third reading. Dust Control Ordinance 2021-01 becomes effective after publication.
