Lyon County commissioners performed a canvass of the vote in Tuesday’s election this morning with Lyon County Clerk Karen Hartenbower, then went back to work on the 2009 budget.
The commissioners were told to expect a decrease of more than 5 mills in the county levy because of the newly approved sales tax.
It was the cleanest canvass on record.
“That’s the most balanced election in my tenure,” Hartenbower said this morning.
Hartenbower said she can remember when every precinct was off in count because the paper ballots often would jam in the counting machine. There were 62 provisional ballots and eight of those could not be counted, which brings the total number of people who voted to 4,288.
The canvass was followed by a special meeting of the county commission to enact the 1-percent sales tax in Lyon County and approve the 2009 budget.
County Counselor Marc Goodman recommended this morning that the resolution to enact the sales tax be tabled. Goodman said he, along with the assistant county counselor, have been in contact with the Association of Counties.
“Our belief is the resolution is unnecessary,” Goodman said, adding that the issue already has been voted on by the electorate. “If it’s not necessary, we can bring it back on the floor and withdraw it.”
County commissioners voted to table the issue until next week.
Budget discussion followed the sales-tax discussion. During Thursday’s meeting, Bob Agler of A&M Consultants corrected a statement he made Thursday about the county’s mill levy staying level for 2009. Agler previously said that after an audit last week, the county’s projected mill levy increase of 1.7 mills decreased to near level mill levy from 2008.
“It’s basically at a zero increase,” Agler said on Thursday. “It’s a slight decrease without considering the sales tax.”
However, after re-calculations, the mill levy is about 1 mill over 2008’s number. The total Lyon County budget for 2009 is $26,978,670. The total tax needed to fund that is $11,147,322. This puts the proposed mill levy for 2009 at 46.637 mills.
After voters passed the 1 percent sales tax Tuesday, a mill levy decrease was expected. County-wide, $1.5 million will be dedicated to property tax relief. That’s equal to about 6.5 mills. With this morning’s figures, the county will still see a 5.002 mill reduction in 2009.
A public budget hearing will be held at 10 a.m. Aug. 28 for the 2009 budget.
During Thursday’s meeting, commissioners made further adjustments to individual budgets. Among the adjustments Thursday morning: Commissioners added $32,000 back into the jail budget. The $32,000 in the jail budget restores half of the $64,000 that was originally cut from the jail’s 2009 budget. After a long discussion about food and other costs in the jail, the commission decided to split the difference. Lyon County Undersheriff Richard Old said food costs are up but there is no way of telling exactly how much it will be in 2009.
“Essentially I don’t know what the costs of food are going to be,” Old said. “I’m guessing what the price of food is going to be. I’m guessing what the price of gas is going to be.”
The adjustments made Thursday morning include:
• $32,000 placed back in jail budget
• $1,000 placed back in county zoning budget
• $18,000 placed back into county attorney’s budget
• $2,300 placed back into county clerk’s budget
In other business, commissioners voted to approve bids by Emporia Construction & Remodeling to furnish and install concrete at the Extension Office to bring the building into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. On the south door, the bid is to remove and replace a 12-foot by 14-foot slab of concrete for $1,050 to improve ADA accessibility. At the east door, the company will remove and replace a 5-foot by 15-foot area of concrete and a 5-foot by 10-foot area of asphalt for $750, also for accessibility. At the north door, the company will remove an 18-foot by 6-foot area of concrete and construct a threshold for $750 to prevent water from coming into the building.
The motion to approve the improvements passed 3-0.
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Posted by stevo (anonymous) on August 8, 2008 at 3:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Boy, maybe we can all take an extra breath, and lower our blood pressure now....5 mills WOW!!!
Posted by OutsiderJ (anonymous) on August 8, 2008 at 3:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'll believe it when I see it.
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