Lyon Co. works toward 10.9% preliminary levy
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MARSHALL -- Talks about Lyon County's 2027 levy continued at this week's Lyon County Board meeting.
Over about an hour of discussion, county commissioners narrowed down proposals to try and lower the levy increase. With a number of changes, the preliminary levy increase could be 10.9%, said Commissioner Todd Draper.
As part of the discussions, commissioners also took two separate votes to allocate riparian aid funds and wind and solar production tax income to help offset other budget costs.
On Tuesday, Draper said he would bring forward individual items the board discussed during budget talks at its last meeting.
The budget committee, we talked about this, and we're bringing it forward to you," Draper said. "And whatever you guys decide, I think we want to do a roll-call vote for the minutes, so going down the road other commissioners know what we actually did."
The first option the board discussed was using the county's riparian aid fund to potentially cover some costs for 2027.
"The balance of that fund yesterday was $868,729.82. Annually, we get approximately $130,000," Draper said. "What we talked about at our last meeting was that we could use money for Area II and RCRCA."
Area II and the Redwood-Cottonwood Rivers Control Area (RCRCA) are organizations that help with water control projects within the Minnesota River basin and the Redwood and Cottonwood River watersheds, respectively.
If county funding for both organizations was subtracted from the $130,000 in riparian aid, it would leave $86,670, Draper said. That remaining amount could be used to offset operating costs in county planning and zoning, like wages for soil and water employees, said Lyon County Administrator Loren Stomberg. Stomberg said it would be an appropriation for 2027 only.
"We've got to find some money somewhere or cut something somewhere," said Commissioner Thomas Andries. "These are funds that, you know we're not touching the balance, in case we need that at some point in time."
Commissioners unanimously approved a motion to use riparian aid funds to offset costs in planning and zoning.
The second item commissioners discussed was using funds the county receives from wind and solar power production taxes. As of Monday, the balance in that fund was about $805,453, Draper said. While wind and solar production varies from year to year, the county received about $133,664 in production taxes in 2026, he said.
"The (budget) committee was again looking at not touching the balance, but using the yearly production tax, and using a dollar amount of $135,000 in the budget, to offset operational expenses," in the county's general fund, Draper said.
Commissioners voted unanimously to use 2027 production tax income to offset operational expenses in the general fund.
Commissioners also went over several different potential changes or cost-saving measures that could be part of the preliminary budget and levy.
One part of the discussion was whether to have a smaller library funding allocation in 2027. The county has a contract with the city of Marshall about supporting the Marshall-Lyon County Library, and its branches in Balaton and Cottonwood, Draper said.
Draper said the county would meet with the library this week.
"Our intent is not to break the contract, because the contract says we have to pay the minimum (maintenance) of effort," required by the state of Minnesota, he said. "I believe we plan on doing that."
"The contract says we have to contribute a minimum of $200,000," Stomberg said. Beyond that, the said, "The language states pretty plainly that the county board and the city council each determine their own amount of contribution."
Stomberg said the preliminary budget he put before the board Tuesday used a figure of $306,000.
"I believe that was an amount that we had talked about at our last meeting, and then also all of the other allocations were cut 50%," with the exception of A.C.E. of Southwest Minnesota, a nonprofit that works with seniors, he said. Stomberg said A.C.E. would be requesting a smaller county contribution for 2027, due to grant funding the organization received.