Board Sets 2026 Preliminary Levy at $12,494,490
- Trinity Gruenberg
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
by Trinity Gruenberg
The Wadena County Commissioners held their meeting on Tuesday, September 30.
Preliminary Levy for 2026
The commissioners set the preliminary property tax levy for 2026 at $12,494,490. This figure has been brought down from an initial 15.94% increase to 13.28% over the past several weeks of budget discussions.
The county staff and department heads identified several reductions. The IT department cut hardware replacement by $15,000, and software expenses were reduced through internal adjustments. The assessor’s office eliminated a $7,500 vehicle purchase, while the parks department cut $1,300 from refuse removal, toilet pumping, and gas. Zoning made $8,900 in cuts, and the GIS/Recorders office reduced $10,000.
Human Services will cut a full-time caseworker in 2026, resulting in a net savings of $82,359 after accounting for unemployment costs and lost revenue.
The commissioners discussed the impact of state mandates, Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act (MAAFPA) which accounts for approximately 4.5% of the levy increase or about $513,000. The salary range for the new county administrator position was set up to $160,000.
Commissioner Jon Kangas raised concerns about the county’s financial support for Friendly Rider as the service is not available to all areas of the county, and yet all taxpayers are being asked to subsidize it...
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