County approves fiscal year 2025 budget

Union County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the fiscal year 2025 budget Monday. The budget begins July 1.

This fiscal year will be the first for property tax revenue from the wind turbines located in the northern part of the county. During research of the budget, Union County Engineer Christian Boehmer said the plans to use the initial funds are for various, road, bridge and other infrastructure work, but only in a designated area including the locations of the wind turbines.

Union County plans to use 80% of the tax revenue and the remaining 20% will be distributed among other taxing entities within the turbines’ area. The total revenue amount for the county over 20 years is estimated at $18.5 million. Turbines are not taxed in their first year of operation. They are then taxed in 5% increments, based on cost, over the next six years, capping at 30%.

The budget also reflects the county’s addressing House File 781.

It was part of state ruling that caps levy rates for cities and counties. Cities will have a general fund levy, consolidated from 15 existing levies, capped at $8.10 per $1,000 in taxable value. Counties have a cap of $3.50 per $1,000 for general services and $3.95 for rural services. The county’s levys for fiscal year 2025 are down a total of 25 cents.

Local governments are placed into three tiers based on their revenue growth with different formulas to determine how much of the excess revenue must be dedicated to lowering property taxes, and the process for bringing existing property tax rates down to those set maximums. For counties above the amounts, they have been suggested to incrementally lower the amount until 2029 when the law takes full effect.

In a related matter, the Union County Conference Board approved its fiscal year 2025 budget in March. The conference board is made up of representatives from taxing entities within the county, like cities and school districts.

Included in its approved budget were salaries: assessor, $72,888; proposed, $74,851.

assistant to assessor: approved, $61,160; proposed, $62,000.

assessor clerk/field appraiser: approved, $52,500; proposed $53,000; once requirements set by the assessor are met. There are classes with tests she to pass before receiving the increase.

In other county news...

Secondary Roads Superintendent Al Hysell said road crews are again finding trash found along roads and in ditches. Some of the evidence has names and addresses.

If trash or other debris intended for the landfill is found along a county road or in a ditch, the person who left it there can be fined if proven having done so.

Two years ago, supervisors approved an ordinance fining people for illegal trash dumping. That was motivated by how often trash was found then. The fine for the first offense for trash dumping is $750. Second and additional offenses will have a fine of $1,000 each.

The county considers trash as leftover food, food packaging, beverage containers, cigarette butts, boxes, paper, cardboard, cans, yard clippings, wood, glass, bedding, tires, household appliances, furniture, mechanical equipment, construction waste, junk vehicles and parts of vehicles, and various other items that are typically considered trash.

“We’d like to do other things, like hauling rock,” Hysell said about cleaning up the trash.