County Commission lowers 2020 tax rate

Taxpayers will notice a drop in their county property taxes next year. The Eddy County Commission approved its 2021 preliminary budget Tuesday, reducing its expected mill levy from 99.55 mills in 2019 to approximately 92.8 mills in 2020.

The county’s financial position is strong, with adequate reserves and a roughly $300,000 general fund balance carryover estimated at the end of 2020. More than half of that comes from CARES Act funding recently announced by Governor Burgum. Monday the Emergency Commission approved $58.9 million in emergency funds to cities and counties, paid out as reimbursement for law enforcement payroll based on each jurisdiction’s number of law enforcement officers and actual payroll costs from March through September. Eddy County’s allocation totals $189,000, which Auditor Patty Williams will put in the general fund.

Other factors led to the commission’s decision to lower the county mill levy, as well. First, the county gained $300 per mill due to increased property valuations, therefore 1 mill will generate $15,068 in tax revenue. Second, Community Ambulance Service of New Rockford requested just 5 mills for 2020, a 5 mill reduction from last year.

Lake Region District Health Unit (LRDHU) presented a “hold even” budget for 2021, per Administrator Allen McKay. In his presentation to commissioners, he noted that the health unit is receiving a great deal of COVID-19 emergency funding as well to conduct extensive testing and contact tracing. They are able to use the funds to pay their staff, who are focusing on the pandemic relief efforts and gearing up for vaccination events once a viable option is made available for COVID-19. As a result, they are using less of the counties’ mill levy funds this year.

LRDHU has also used relief funds to purchase a covered trailer, as well as portable tables and canopies for each county to hold testing events. They have also stocked up on immunization supplies, including needles, syringes and alcohol wipes, so the counties have it when needed. They also have adequate stock of personal protective equipment. McKay said they expect a COVID-19 vaccine to be released in the first half of 2021. Each state will get a limited amount of doses, starting with the elderly, high-risk individuals and healthcare workers before expanding to the general public.

“We’re going to be busy for the next couple years,” McKay declared.

Flu immunizations will start early, with the first doses likely to be administered in the first week in September.

On the other hand, the county increased its budget in one key area, which resulted in the overall decrease of 7 mills. The county road fund needs a big budget boost, commissioners say, for a few reasons. First, the state highway tax is estimated to be down a bit in 2021. Second, the county budgeted half a million dollars to replace the blades next year. Third, there is much work to do on county roads.

“Plain and simple, we’re playing catch up on our roads,” Gehrtz noted.

The road work has been noticed by residents, he added. However, there is more work to be done.

There’s also a big capital project on the horizon, and it’s not exactly new to the table. That is the desire to build a new county shop in Sheyenne. Road Superintendent Todd Weber offered a few options for land the county could acquire, including additional land adjacent to the current shop. Commissioners have also heard from more than one party interested in purchasing the fuel storage and/or existing shop should the county build a new shop in a different place.

“We’ve been talking about this for 12 years,” Commissioner Neal Rud said.

“Let’s do it right because it’s going to be there a long time,” Gehrtz surmised.

There is still a lot of planning to do, and the shop likely wouldn’t be built next year. However, all three commissioners agreed they should allocate money in the 2021 budget for the project. Williams noted that the county could reallocate some of the $500,000 for the new blades and consider annual payments rather than purchasing them outright. They would then have enough money in the budget for the new shop without increasing the road mill levy any further. Rud concurred, noting that interest rates are low and financing terms favorable.

Weber also outlined several projects his staff planned to complete before freeze-up. The commission agreed to help repair Eddy County 1 through Sheyenne, with the county road crew doing the labor and the City of Sheyenne paying for the material. Weber said some repair work needs to be done on Brantford Road as well, as the pavement is breaking up due to truck traffic. There is also culvert work on the agenda.  Verle Marsaa contacted Weber and Commissioner Glenda Collier about adding gravel at the fairgrounds. Marsaa wants a gravel pad in between the auction barn and restroom, as the area that normally houses the tent and concessions vendors got quite muddy last year. The commissioners approved the purchase of 6,250 cubic yards of gravel for $6,200. Weber’s staff will do the work.

The next regular Eddy County Commission meeting is set for Sept. 1 at 8:30 a.m.