Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
AT TUESDAY evening's meeting of the Iron County Board of Supervisors, Kurt Wolff reads his preliminary recommendations for the next fiscal year budget while Thomas Thompson Jr. looks on from the right.
By P.J. GLISSON
Hurley - Iron County Board Member Kurt Wolff reported to fellow members on Tuesday evening that he will make formal recommendations on the 2024-25 budget at the board's March meeting.
He requested that members submit any concerns they have to him as quickly as possible.
Wolff, who represents the town of Sherman on the board, is the lead coordinator in working toward budget reconciliation for the pending new fiscal year.
One of his first objectives was to take what he called "a straw vote" of board members' opinions on using carbon credit funds, which have not yet been issued, to "plug budget deficits."
Wolff said that 90% of board members do not approve of that action.
As Board Chairman Joseph Pinardi said, "I think we shouldn't rely on it until we get it. I think we're all on board with that."
Wolff warned of other county income that is not stable.
One on hand, Board Member Thomas Thompson Jr. said $347,670.82 in monthly stumpage income this year versus $342,910.24 at the same time last year. "So we did good this time."
On the other hand, Wolff said that stumpage income overall was $450,000 under budget last year.
Wolff said the county currently has four budget components: General, Human Services, Highway Department and Debt Service.
He would like to add a fifth component of Capital Improvement and also would like the county to retain emergency cash.
"Preserving cash in 2024 is absolutely paramount," he said.
In general, he said, "I think it's the job of the county board to reconcile the taxpayers, county employees and the services."
If the county runs short of income, Wolff said board members will be forced to issue uncomfortable measures such as a tax hike and a reduction in services.
Wolff said that he has been meeting with the county's department heads to discuss how to rein in budget costs, as with delaying capital improvements.
As one example, Wolff was the only board member to vote no on a subsequent vote to buy a $13,030. Dalco sweeper with the county's funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
At the end of Wolff's presentation, board member Karen Lauer - who is also a member of the county's Finance Committee - thanked Wolff for his efforts to assess the budget and to meet with county employees. "This is hard work, she said.
Board members also voted to authorize Wolff to continue his work on the pending fiscal year budget. Wolff said that he will continue to request budget discussions during monthly board meetings.
In other news, board members also voted to approve Resolution 2024-3063, which establishes salaries of Clerk Christan Brandt, Treasurer Clara Maki and Register of Deeds Daniel Soine for the next four years.
The resolution states that those employees now will receive the same percentage of raise that other county employees receive at the start of each year.
Board member Karen Lauer said that, until now, those elected officials had been locked into the salary they received when elected to office.
Brandt added that Iron County's elected officials have not been receiving wages commensurate with related positions in other Wisconsin counties.
Tuesday's vote also included the granting of compensation for wages lost due to elected officials not having been included in recent wage hikes.
Board members also:
-Voted to amend the county employee handbook to state that new employees will start at 90% of the prior employee's wage with flexibility to adjust to 100%, based on experience and need. The finance committee pre-approved the action.
-Voted to authorize the county treasurer to cancel outstanding checks that are more than a year old.
-Heard from Board Member Jamey Francis that, per Iron County Economic Development, the Hurley Industrial Park is full. Pinardi said after the meeting that the park, which was established in 1993, has about 20 sites.
Unless otherwise indicated, all votes were unanimous with Scott Erickson, Roy Haeger, Tanner Hiller, Karl Krall and Brandon Snyder absent.
A closed session on employment issues was dropped from the agenda because the chairman said it was not needed.
The board's next regular meeting will be on March 26 at 6 p.m. in the board room of the Iron County Courthouse.
