Property tax levies are expected to rise in both the city of Kenyon and Goodhue County in 2022. (Josh McGovern/southernminn.com)

Property tax levies are expected to rise in both the city of Kenyon and Goodhue County in 2022. (Josh McGovern/southernminn.com)

Facing rising costs and the challenges of adapting to an intensely competitive job market, Goodhue County has followed the lead of other local governments in laying the groundwork for a sizable levy increase for 2023.

At its Sept. 20 meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved a preliminary levy at about 7.3% over the levy from 2022. Having set the levy, the board is barred from moving forward with a levy increase larger than that amount, but it could trim its sails when it approves the final levy in December.

With an eye toward making sure the funds would be available to increase the county’s building contingency fund towards $1.5 million, the county budgeted an extra $200,000. However, the board will have to decide whether it wishes to use ARPA funds instead for this purpose.

More than $1.3 million in funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act, passed by Congress last year, remain to be utilized as needed for crucial government services. How exactly to utilize those funds was its own extensive debate at Tuesday’s meeting.

County Commissioner Brad Anderson said that, instead of committing to use ARPA funds for the building contingency fund, it made more sense for the county to keep its options open.

After extensive discussion, the board did manage to make several minor tweaks to its budget. Most notably, the purchase of an Everglades Boat & Trailer has been pushed back to 2024, saving the county $215,000 and opening the door to apply for grant funding.

Some of the proposed uses of ARPA funds could be much more wide reaching. The most popular was the proposal to use the funds, instead of Building Contingency Assistance Funds, for the boiler replacement at the Law Enforcement Center — saving over $700,000.

An alternative proposal could see the county utilize about $610,000 in ARPA funding to purchase 15 new mobile radios for ambulance and fire departments in Goodhue County’s small towns.

The radios would replace aging models that were previously bought with state grant dollars. While the availability of ARPA funding may make this a good time to replace the radios, Commissioners expressed hesitance about taking on the responsibility repeatedly.

“I think we need to have a solution where we’re not always on the hook for that bill,” said County Administrator Scott Arneson. “It’s not our radio, it’s their radio.”

More funds could also be put into the county’s New Housing Permit Reimbursement Program. A total of roughly $850,000 was allocated for the program, with the program thus far having delivered 403 new housing units, including three big projects in Zumbrota, Cannon Falls and Goodhue.

Despite the program’s success in attracting some multi-unit housing developments, Commissioner Anderson was not exactly a fan. He expressed a desire to let the program go sooner, rather than later, especially given the modest size of the benefit it provided.

Alternatively, the county could choose to invest it in a new initiative. Starlink, the satellite internet company owned by Elon Musk, could provide an opportunity for the county to provide higher quality internet for more people.

Despite representing a largely rural district on the county board, Jason Majerus was somewhat a skeptic of Starlink. He said that providing Starlink on a subsidized basis for his rural constituents may be a step too far.

Commissioner Linda Flanders was also skeptical of the Starlink proposal, citing the opinion of a consultant she has worked with for Cisco Systems. Based on his assessment, Starlink could be more likely an expensive, temporary solution, rather than a lasting investment.

Flanders pointed out that people could try Starlink for themselves if they want. As for a medium- to long-term solution, she said that the future still appears much more likely to be in the realm of fiber optic cables.

“Yes, the small towns should take care of this, but there’s a limit,” he said.

Andrew Deziel is a freelance writer. Reach the editor at editor@apgsomn.com.

As previously written, the city of Kenyon is also looking at a levy increase in 2023 by about $75,000, or 6.8%. Among the increased expenditures covered by the increased levy will be a 3% overall cost of living increase for full-time employees, step and longevity increases, and a 5% increase to health insurance costs.

St. Peter Herald, Waseca County News and Le Sueur County News managing editor. Email at editor@stpeterherald.com. Call at 507-931-8567.

Data included is taken from the Minnesota Department of Health Daily reports. Because all data is preliminary, the change in number of cumulative positive cases and deaths from one day to the next may not equal the newly reported cases or deaths.

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