[0:28] e [0:58] e [1:28] e [1:58] e [2:28] e e [3:19] good evening everyone it is Thursday [3:21] December 5th here at 6 o'clock we'll [3:23] call the uh count right County uh public [3:26] uh notice for budgets to order we'll [3:29] begin with the of [3:31] [Music] [3:32] Allegiance I pledge aliance to the flag [3:35] of the United States of America and to [3:37] the Republic for which it stands one [3:39] nation under God indivisible with [3:42] liberty and justice for [3:47] all good evening everyone uh tonight [3:50] here is the annual time of year that we [3:53] review the proposed budget for 2025 and [3:57] open up to the public for comments and [3:59] questions regarding the 2025 budget if [4:02] you are here today to question your [4:04] valuation of your property uh this is [4:07] not the correct meeting uh that meeting [4:09] takes place in June uh and we can staff [4:13] will help you to get you the information [4:16] and put you in contact with the County [4:17] Assessors so that you can uh contact [4:20] them to get the valuation corrected uh [4:24] so but this that's what you're here for [4:27] I'm here for that yes okay I'll help you [4:29] that's what the paper says right here [4:31] December 5th that's for the the to talk [4:34] about the levy the the the budget of the [4:37] county it's not to talk about the uh [4:40] valuation of your property the valuation [4:42] of your property say that in the letter [4:44] that they give us I guess I thought this [4:48] you meeting pardon me I thought it was [4:51] the truth and Taxation truth and [4:54] Taxation meeting where we talk about the [4:55] taxation of the the county operating [4:58] budget yeah but the valuation so it's [5:01] not talking about the entire statement [5:02] the valuation of your property is the [5:04] Board of Equalization and the Board of [5:07] Equalization takes place in June and you [5:09] actually will meet with the County [5:11] Assessors to discuss your property and [5:14] work with them with that and then the [5:15] final appeal would take place in June at [5:17] the Board of [5:20] Equalization so according to this I've [5:22] already missed the June meeting for for [5:25] the previous year for PID 25 for PID 25 [5:29] your okay so property [5:33] taxes didn't get these until two weeks [5:36] no no so you get three statements over [5:38] the course of the year the first [5:40] statement you get comes in Lindsay gonna [5:43] correct me if I'm wrong but I'm going to [5:44] say April April is um and that is the [5:47] one that gives you your property tax [5:49] valuation the first one you get is [5:51] property tax valuation your property [5:53] every year on January 2nd gets assessed [5:57] by the by the assessor's office that's [5:59] when they determined valuation is on [6:00] January 2nd of every year so what you [6:03] have here is based off of that [6:05] assessment from this year of January 2nd [6:06] of 2024 that notice went out in April or [6:10] March and then the second notice then [6:12] you get a second statement which is your [6:14] bill for 24 in that same kind of time [6:16] period which includes your two stubs for [6:18] paying the first half and the second [6:20] half that's for pay 24 what you have [6:22] before you right now is the preliminary [6:24] Levy estimate for what you would pay in [6:28] 2025 based off of the 2024 assessed [6:31] value on January 2 of 2024 sorry I'm [6:35] throwing out a lot of dates but we [6:37] assess the year before we tax it so at [6:41] this point we're kind of screwed as far [6:43] as next year tax for the valuation you [6:45] you can still take it to Tax Court they [6:48] do have a conceal it does it does I will [6:50] admit that it does but what you can do [6:52] right now is you can sign up and talk [6:55] with the assessor's office and your [6:57] valuation for January 2 of 25 they can [7:00] help address that but I did that last [7:02] year I talked about it because I raised [7:03] my property taxes up [7:06] 2.3.7 and you know what you told me it [7:08] is what it is I could take it to Tax [7:11] Court but now what's that going to cost [7:12] me to take it to Tax Court I mean you're [7:15] talking probably thousands of dollars a [7:17] do and it's like where I I can help you [7:21] with what I would tell you if you if you [7:24] truly believe and you have uh evidence [7:27] to prove that that is overvalued then [7:29] take it all the way to the Board of [7:30] Equalization and then you would come [7:32] before us here and present your [7:35] information and which would be [7:37] comparables that you have to your [7:38] property so homes of the same year of [7:41] build same square footage uh same uh [7:45] features uh within a relative close [7:49] proximity to yours if you take those [7:50] comparables the assessors will bring [7:52] their comparables in and then we weigh [7:54] that in there if you can prove to us [7:56] that you have a cracked foundation in [7:57] your house which would create or or just [8:00] I'm using that as an example okay [8:02] business business you might [8:04] have so I work in the county attorney's [8:07] office as well it might be worth your [8:09] time to talk to an attorney if you got a [8:10] business okay I I can't I'll just give [8:14] you that legal advice you can talk to an [8:15] attorney it might be worth your time to [8:17] talk to them when you have a business [8:18] then your valuation becomes high enough [8:20] and your payment become high enough then [8:21] it might become you might be able to you [8:24] might be it might be able worth your [8:25] time people who have residential values [8:27] that they take the tax Court usually get [8:29] resolved through reconciliation process [8:30] which is a very informal process that [8:33] gets done rather quickly if you go that [8:36] route for for residential so but if you [8:38] want to we can sign you up to talk with [8:40] the assessor's office they're not here [8:41] today but they will call you back soon [8:44] well I got that last year and what she [8:45] told me it is what it is that's exactly [8:47] what she told me and it's like okay [8:49] that's not a good answer that is not a [8:51] good answer it's good not a good answer [8:52] not a good answer no that's why I was [8:53] here and that's why you know went by [8:56] this thinking I can come and actually [8:57] voice my opinion on what's going on and [9:00] it's like no it's not the right this [9:02] this is only for prum Levy that' be the [9:04] Board of Equalization so all right we [9:06] can sign you up if you want um and try [9:08] to help you out that way I mean I'm [9:10] willing to do that yes absolutely cool I [9:13] can show you where it is and if you want [9:14] I'm I'm happy or any commissioner I'm [9:18] sure from any of your districts where [9:19] your businesses in right County would be [9:20] happy to sit in with you on that [9:22] conversation with the assessors because [9:23] I don't want you to be able to get that [9:24] same response back they should they they [9:26] they need to and owe you the ability [9:29] articulate how they came up with that [9:30] number not just a that is what it is [9:34] yeah [9:35] so well mine went up [9:39] 3.41% and uh I believe I was [9:44] inadvertently uh [9:46] reclassified well there is it [9:48] agriculture property ma'am yes it is so [9:51] there was some things that you needed to [9:52] do with the assessor to enable to get [9:54] your Green Acres credits you had to [9:56] actually fill out some forms all that [9:57] stuff was filled out it was [9:59] yep and every time I try to go and talk [10:02] to [10:04] them I am told this is for our only you [10:08] can't see this which is an illegal act [10:13] which I'm happy to help facilitate that [10:14] conversation with information under the [10:17] government data Practices Act and the [10:19] Freedom of Information Act so the county [10:22] is illegally withholding information and [10:25] I have made many special trips to [10:28] taxpayers services and the assessor's [10:31] office and made sure all the correct [10:34] information and forms are there and this [10:37] says it is too late to appeal without [10:41] going to Tax Court so you're forcing the [10:45] citizens into [10:49] litigation and I believe that you are [10:52] using a statute so what I'm going to [10:55] tell you because I can't solve this for [10:57] you here this isn't the right meeting [10:59] but what I will say is myself or any of [11:01] these fellow board members would be more [11:02] than happy to help facilitate those [11:04] conversations so that we can Rectify it [11:07] going forward in the future uh as for [11:09] what you can do going backwards I can't [11:11] necessarily help you potentially with [11:13] that but going forward we can help [11:15] facilitate these conversations so that [11:18] we can figure out what is going on with [11:19] your property and what it needs to be [11:20] classified at so uh if you want any of [11:24] our contact information I can helpy have [11:26] staff get that to you uh we can connect [11:29] you with the proper commissioner for [11:30] your District so we can sit down with [11:32] the assessors and help get that taken [11:34] care of if people will stop giving me [11:36] the runaround I would love that because [11:38] I can never get the straight answer from [11:40] any of them and I don't want to I I want [11:42] to solve that for you Michael assessor [11:45] and he tells me something completely [11:47] different so this is becoming honorous [11:50] and [11:51] burdensome and you guys are [11:54] hiding legal documents from people about [11:58] their own property all right what I'm [12:00] going to tell you is I'm guessing the [12:02] three of you are probably going to sign [12:03] up I'm guessing that there's three of [12:06] you I'm going to tell the assessor's [12:08] office they're inviting me to that [12:09] meeting with you and the commissioner [12:12] from your district will be invited as [12:13] well okay not out of my I'm happy to [12:17] meet with you with the assessor's office [12:18] and we'll talk about it okay thank you I [12:22] I I I wish I could do something for you [12:23] tonight but unfortunately that is not in [12:25] our statutory ability to do anything for [12:27] you tonight D but I I think it should be [12:29] able to be resolved without forcing [12:31] citizens into Tax Court I I and I [12:33] wholeheartedly agree and I think we can [12:36] there's there's been some hiding of [12:38] information [12:40] here and and I'm sorry for that which is [12:42] an illegal act yeah and which hopefully [12:45] we can resolve this for you because I I [12:48] know where your property is and we [12:50] should be able to solve this for you so [12:52] well thank you very much thanks for [12:54] coming thank you so I'm just going to [12:56] like to give you guys a second here and [12:57] we'll continue forward with budget [12:59] aspect of the meeting tonight tell [13:01] there's a lot of concerned citizens [13:04] here it's uh the the complexity the [13:07] state system for property tax assessment [13:09] in Minnesota [13:12] is needs to be overly needs to be [13:14] simplified for the for [13:20] everyone I'll let Greg get all their [13:22] information here before we continue on [13:24] so we'll just take a short little brief [13:25] four minute break here y [13:39] hav sit here [13:46] [Music] [14:12] there's a [14:18] separate [14:22] changed losing his farm status I said [14:29] you sold those pumkins that 20 acres so [14:33] that you can show [14:34] that don't that they have to assume that [14:38] it's just not being agriculture so [14:40] that's the you [14:51] know so [15:04] it [15:05] was all [15:09] right all right well we we'll resume the [15:12] meeting now all right we're good all [15:14] right uh at this time we will move [15:16] forward with our uh public budget [15:19] meeting for the few Mr chair I can go [15:23] through the slides quick if you'd like [15:24] yes please do all right so we have the [15:26] 2025 budget um [15:29] Frank if you [15:31] could start moving it um just so [15:33] everyone online and if anyone's [15:35] walkinging on YouTube what the county [15:37] vision is and what our our mission of [15:38] the board is which is to lead with [15:40] fiscal responsibility Innovation and [15:41] compassion which I believe that this [15:44] budget before the board um today meets [15:46] those goals of the county and keeping [15:49] the levy as flat as we can while also [15:51] maintaining our our fiscal [15:53] responsibility and Innovation and to be [15:55] able to deliver a safe and affordable [15:57] familyfriendly County [16:01] again we kind of discovered market value [16:03] questions we've dealt with that I think [16:04] already so next [16:06] one agenda for today we're now at number [16:09] three the 2025 budget overview followed [16:11] by public [16:14] comment so where we at are today um [16:17] we've gone through all of the budgeting [16:19] process from May June with the budget [16:21] workbooks being prepared uh the County [16:23] Board in August held a bunch of [16:24] committies of the whole um looked at [16:27] literally every line in this budget [16:28] every department and went through it [16:31] made Corrections throughout it in [16:33] September we passed the preliminary [16:34] budget and tax levy consideration with a [16:37] 5.71% proposed Levy increase we are [16:39] currently here for the truth and [16:40] Taxation meeting which is our December [16:43] public budget meeting uh after this [16:45] meeting then the final Levy would be [16:47] adopted and submitted to the Minnesota [16:49] Department of Revenue after the December [16:51] 17th [16:53] meeting again where we are at here today [16:56] um valuations as we kind of discussed [16:58] earlier were sent out in March of 2024 [17:01] that's based off of your valuation from [17:04] this says January 1 2024 um again then [17:08] board reviews the final valuations um we [17:10] have the truth and Taxation meeting [17:12] which we are now at at the end of 2024 [17:14] followed by the adoption later on [17:16] there's our timeline and then we have [17:17] the payments due in 2025 based off of [17:21] the prelim Levy or the final Levy [17:22] that'll be adopted in about 10 [17:27] days so Warrior tax dollars are at work [17:30] all of our highways we have 516 Mi of [17:32] roads all of our patrols 911 nine Great [17:35] River Regional libraries in the county [17:37] all the programs we provide um across [17:40] the county our Public Health financial [17:42] and Social Services with Health and [17:44] Human Services environmental services [17:46] including recycling Water Management [17:48] feed lots and our veteran [17:52] services and your taxes as far as roads [17:55] for the past year we had a four for this [17:57] upcoming budget cycle we are looking at [18:00] a $4.60 per capita per month cost to [18:04] Residents that is a decrease from the [18:05] 2024 amount just slight decrease as you [18:08] can see in the graph over on the lower [18:12] left and this is our 5-year Highway plan [18:15] for 2024 we had a bunch of projects that [18:17] are labeled in green on here 2025 are [18:20] the pink projects we have some um in the [18:23] Northeast part but the vast majority of [18:25] them are down in the South and Southwest [18:27] portion of the county for 2025 for our [18:29] road Highway [18:31] projects parks and trails for a134 per [18:35] capita per month we are able to provide [18:37] access to wri County residents on [18:40] 4727 Acres of Parkland and outdoor [18:43] recreation activities one of the big [18:45] projects we had this year was the [18:46] lighting of the Robert Nai Trail which [18:48] started planning process of that almost [18:51] 20 years ago in the mid ODS so took a [18:55] lot of planning a lot of grant funding a [18:57] lot of work to try to get it done and [18:58] this will be the first winter where [19:00] anyone going to Robert and I will be [19:01] able to cross country ski and a lighted [19:03] Trail this winter if we get some [19:06] snow uh taxes for public health [19:10] a131 gives us the the public health [19:12] initiatives as you can see there's a [19:14] huge decrease from 2023 after the end of [19:16] the the co [19:20] pandemic um law enforcement 911 dispatch [19:23] that's looking at$ 1179 per month and [19:26] that gives us the 911 access pays for [19:29] all of our emergency services with the [19:30] sheriff's department law enforcement the [19:33] jail and 911 as I [19:36] stated A1 31 per capita goes to the [19:39] library Services again we have nine [19:41] different branches of the Great River [19:42] Regional Library in Wright County and [19:44] that helps pay for it that Levy amount [19:46] has been or per capita rate has been [19:49] fairly flat from 2023 24 and [19:52] 25 we're currently working on [19:55] distribution of the opioid settlement [19:56] funds from the litigation we endered [19:58] into uh against the pharmaceutical [20:01] Industries we're currently designing and [20:04] completing specifications for a new [20:05] household hazardous waste facility at [20:07] our Compost Facility to enhance [20:09] efficiencies reduce cost of heating [20:11] reduce um and any staff outputs out [20:14] there as well we're currently in the [20:16] middle of Designing and constructing the [20:18] highway and Maple Lake out shop uh the [20:21] law enforcement center roof got replaced [20:24] uh Crow River Regional Trail Phase 2 is [20:26] being currently worked on from for to [20:28] Handover and monii county park is in a [20:31] Redevelopment [20:33] redesign so projects completed we [20:35] completed round about at truck Highway [20:38] 25 and Casa 83 Bridge replacement on [20:40] casassa 2 between South Haven and Fair [20:42] Haven schroer Park Campground [20:44] Redevelopment we completed light our [20:46] Imaging flight again as I mentioned [20:47] earlier the Robert and I and one of our [20:50] biggest ongoing cost savings we'll have [20:53] with the highway department going [20:54] forward is the construction and [20:56] completion of a road salt brine [20:57] manufacturing facility ility which will [20:59] bring the cost of salt brine from [21:02] $146 per gallon down to 27 cents a [21:05] gallon saving almost over 100 to [21:08] $125,000 a year in salt brine [21:12] production so the 2025 budget the [21:15] preliminary budget was set at [21:17] 8,176 35 preliminary Levy was set at [21:22] $1,427 [21:24] 279 for a [21:26] 5.71 preliminary Levy increase [21:29] tax capacity growth was estimated at [21:35] 1.7% and here are the revenues where we [21:38] get most of our Revenue as you can see [21:40] the biggest line is property taxes [21:42] followed by federal grants state general [21:44] AIDS take categorical Aid charges for [21:46] services and then the other revenue [21:49] streams and the 2025 budget spending as [21:52] always Personnel is our largest expense [21:55] um followed by capital outlay and [21:58] services and [22:01] charges and how every dollar is spent [22:03] General government which includes the [22:05] recorder assessor veteran services [22:07] Planning and Zoning Finance [22:08] Administration Information Technology [22:10] General things just to keep the [22:12] government running and that impact [22:14] everyone across the board just generally [22:16] is $23 for every $100 spent Public [22:19] Safety is $22 out of every hundred [22:22] followed by Highway operations at 25 and [22:24] Human Services at 15 and then the [22:27] remainder breaks up public Health Parks [22:29] conservation natural resources Debt [22:32] Service is $6 and then we just have the [22:34] other category at [22:36] two here are comparable counties I think [22:39] right County is sitting fairly well [22:41] compared to some of our neighboring [22:42] counties for our Levy increase this past [22:45] year at [22:47] 5.71% and this again information on the [22:50] screen was provided by the Minnesota [22:52] inter County Association and numbers may [22:54] have changed since we originally pulled [22:56] this data [22:59] tax capacity versus rate you can see our [23:01] tax capacity decreased in 22 23 over [23:05] that time period um but our main goal [23:09] here as Mr chair probably allude to [23:11] later and the rest of the board our main [23:13] objective and passing the budget is to [23:14] try to make sure that we try to keep a [23:16] stable increase for people so it's not a [23:19] huge Spike year-over-year but to try to [23:21] try to maintain consistency and to try [23:23] to keep things as flat as we possibly [23:25] can for [23:27] people so Mr chair that concludes my [23:29] presentation I'm happy to pass it over [23:31] to the board or answer any questions as [23:34] they come up here thank you [23:36] administrator kryer uh at this time I [23:39] don't see anyone from the public present [23:41] but uh in case there's somebody in the [23:43] room that's missing that wants to ask [23:45] some questions please come forward and [23:46] state your name would anyone like to [23:49] speak would anyone like to [23:51] speak would anyone like to speak if not [23:55] I will close the public hearing and we [23:58] will if NE some parting comments by [24:00] board members we will conclude this uh [24:03] public hearing at [24:05] 6:20 with that all right thank you [24:07] everyone