Cook County commissioners approved a levy of 5.89 percent for 2020 at the board’s December 17 meeting.
Cook County’s 2020 levy will be $10,382,339, up from the 2019 levy of $9,790,211.
The biggest dollar increase in the budget is for the general fund, which will be 12.21 percent higher, or $532,508 more than it was in 2019.
The building fund increased 67.64 percent, which brought the fund from $150,200 to $251,800 for the coming year.
Increase to the highway fund tallied 1.14 percent ($25,427); Public Health and Human Services 0.74 percent ($18,629); and the airport 1.48 percent ($1,384).
Commissioners set the preliminary levy at 6.05 percent. They decreased it slightly based on expected returns from short-term rental license fees that will be collected at $200 each in January 2020, and a reduction in dollars delivered to arts organizations.
The levy could have been significantly lower, but the county is waiting to hear about the payment in lieu of taxes (PILT) received annually from the Thye-Blatnik bill for lands inside the BWCA.
As it looks now, the county could receive $750,000 less than it has been getting from the bill. Cook County, Lake and St. Louis counties, are all working together to see if the payments can be restored to their previous norms.
Unorganized fire levies
The board approved the following 2020 unorganized fire levies: • Colvill: $43,000, an increase of $500 over 2019. • Grand Marais Ext.: $47,734, up $264 over 2019. • Gunflint Trail: $80,000, which stayed the same as 2019. • Lutsen Extension: $34,045, a decrease of $2,308 from 2019. • Maple Hill: $65,000, no change from 2019.
Commissioners passed a variety of resolutions concerning the 2020 county budget.
Concerning county board pay, commissioners voted 4-1 to keep their rate of compensation at the 2019 rate, with commissioner Ginny Storlie voting against the motion.
This means the board chair will receive $23,894, the vice chair will be paid $22,894, and the other board members will receive $22,394.
Commissioners will also receive per diems of $100 for all approved meetings and activities, as well as mileage paid when attending approved meetings. Firewise
A motion was granted to approve the Firewise program coordinator agreement renewal. Starting January 1, 2020, Todd Armbruster will again carry out the county’s Firewise program, including an increase in hourly pay to $32.
The contract is similar to the contract Armbruster has with Lake County. Federal and state grants and the Secure Rural School PILT funding pay for this position.
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