Commissioners approve levy with 4% increase

Carlton County commissioners approved a 3.99 percent increase over last year’s levy, delivering a preliminary figure for 2024 at $33.5 million on Monday.

With the unanimous 5-0 vote in Carlton, the number the board settled on cannot exceed above 3.99 percent of this year’s $32.2 million levy. It could go down. The budget is set for public review and approval in December.

“I feel 3.99 is a good starting point,” auditor/treasurer Kevin DeVriendt told commissioners.

Commissioner Marv Bodie praised the work of the budgeting committee, including commissioners Gary Peterson and board chairman Dick Brenner.

“I’d like to thank the finance committee for bringing this down this low this year,” Bodie said. “I don’t think we’ve ever started this low before.”

The board set a Truth in Taxation hearing for 6 p.m. on Dec. 12 at the Transportation Building, 1630 County Road 61 in Carlton, following a regular county board meeting beginning at 4 p.m. the same day.

Calling the item the one commissioners will “get all the calls about,” auditor/treasurer Kevin DeVriendt introduced a tax levy with $20 million toward county operations, $3.3 million to roads and bridges, $7.8 million to health and human services, and $2.2 million to pay back bonds.

Technically $33.465 million, the proposed 2024 levy will be used to supplement a $79.6 million overall preliminary budget, which is offset by an estimated $45 million in county revenues.

The sheriff’s office is projected to make up $4.2 million of the budget, followed by the jail ($3.25 million), and with $2 million aimed at corrections, mostly tied with the Northeast Regional Correction Center in Saginaw.

The county attorney’s office budget is preliminarily set at $1.5 million, and building maintenance at $1.65 million.

Prior to the vote, Bodie asked Brenner if he was satisfied “we’re not painting ourselves into a corner?”

“It all depends on what you want to change,” Brenner said.

DeVriendt and county coordinator Dennis Genereau said leeway was good. Health insurance rates for county workers were locked at a 10.5-percent increase year over year.

“It’s unusual we know it’s a locked rate,” DeVriendt said.

The county’s contribution per family for health and life insurance has risen to $29,518 from $27,107, with a singles rate to $12,741 from $11,735.

“There is a little bit of flex built in,” Genereau said of the overall levy.

Compared to levies across the state, Carlton County’s was included alongside some of the lower figures. Genereau said an inter-county publication noted levy increases between 2.5 and 13 percent.

Some early levies already published from across the state include:

• Olmsted County 5.2%

• Becker County 5.96%

• Beltrami County 6.65%

• Hennepin County 6.5%

• Lyon County 1.7%

• Mower County 5.5%

• St. Louis County 2.93%

“(Our) 3.99 is actually in the top one-third,” Genereau said

of the lowest increases. “And that’s throughout the state of Minnesota.”