The final Polk County Commissioners meeting was held on Tuesday during which the final levy for 2019 was approved along with the 2019 budget. The commissioners cut the levy increase down to 3.253 percent. “We worked since summer to get the levy to just over $23.5 million which is a percent increase of 3.253 over the 2018 levy or about $741,000 more than we levied in the past,” said Chuck Whiting, the Polk County Administrator. “We were able to find some corrections to make and delay some expenses, so we came out better than we thought six weeks ago, the levy was at five percent when we had the public hearing last week, and today the budget was approved for around $67 million.”
The total budget includes solid waste, highway department, sheriff’s department. Whiting noted that not having construction projects has lowered at the transfer station and incinerator in 2019 has lowered the amount needed in the budget.
The salary for the administrator was set at $136,784.88 for 2019; county attorney will get $129,038.40 with the sheriff at $108,196.64 and the Polk County commissioner’s salary for 2019 will be $31,423.49. The board accepted fuel quotes for 2019 with the low bidder Fertile Oil Company at $124,500.00 for the year.
Norman County Commissioners requested support from Polk County to help the turn the Twin Valley Nursing Home which recently closed into a home for Veterans. The board agreed to support their request.
The board had a report from the fraud investigator for several county social service departments. Polk County Social Services director Peter Sedgeman said there is a small amount of fraud, “It is with the programs offered and is really a small percentage, but it is important that people know that if you make claims to social services for assets that you need to be truthful as we have an investigator to check and catch the perpetrators.”
Sheriff Barb Erdman gave her final report to the board and talked about her plans for the future after 31 years with the county, “Thirty-one years total starting with the County Attorneys office and Wayne Swanson and then moved to the Sheriff’s office and Sheriff Doug Qualley so I had the honor and privilege to work under two great sheriffs and now have been sheriff for eight years,” said Erdman. “It is time to retire and leave the office in the hands of Deputy Jim Tadman.” Erdmann added, “I will have to adjust to not going to work and the travel a little and then find a part-time job to keep busy along with being a grandma.” Deputy Jim Tadman is getting ready to be sworn in. “Yes I am anxious and looking forward to the swearing in on January 2, I have been with the department for 31 years and we are not going to turn the office upside down,” said Tadman. “I worked with Sheriff Erdman for six years, we have projects to work on, we want to be more accessible in the schools and maintain a relationship with other agencies.”
Michelle Cote, property records director, reported to the board on the Payment instead of Taxes. “This covers all the PILT payments for the year which includes DNR, U.S. Wildlife, Nature Conservancy, Multi-County Housing and others that provide PILT making the total $417,000.00 with $239,000.00 remain in the county,” said Cote. “The rest are spread out to other tax districts like the townships and cities that receive payments instead of funds, and MaryAnn we want to thank you for your service to the county, people don’t realize what service is it so thank you.”
The Polk County Commissioners honored KROX’s Mary Ann Simmons, who had been covering Polk County Board meetings for many years and was going to retire (completely from KROX) and she was covering her last meeting. The Commissioners made Simmons the honorary sixth Polk County Commissioner for the day. “I think we had a good meeting with the highlight being a resolution recognizing MaryAnn Simmons for all your coverage of the board and departments heads about the activities,” said Whiting. “It has been a joy, I will miss seeing you at the meetings, but we could always count on you for good coverage and your opinions when you chose to speak up, the board today recognized you as a commissioner from the 6th district and let you second motion to close the meeting, so good luck and we will miss you.”
KROX’s Mary Ann Simmons
