By Jill Fennema –

Last week, the Pipestone County Board of Commissioners approved a preliminary levy for 2023. County Administrator Steve Ewing reviewed some of the necessary budget increases for next year, including wage increases, increased county contributions for health insurance, and inflation on many items the county pays for each year. 

The state program aid that the county receives only increased by about $3,000. Ewing explained that the reason that change was so small was because the state legislature did not finish all their work this past session. 

The preliminary levy increase that the board accepted was 8.42 percent higher than last year, for a total proposed levy for 2023 of $8,626,410. The county will set the actual levy in December, but they cannot increase their levy over this proposed amount. There will be a Truth in Taxation meeting on Monday, December 12, at 7 p.m., where the budget expenditures will be explained more thoroughly and the public will be able to comment. The actual levy will be set on Tuesday, Dec. 27. 

Before they moved on to other matters, Commissioner Dan Wildermuth commented, “Nobody wants to see an increase. No one wants to pay taxes, but we all know we need to pay taxes for our society to run. We try to be prudent. We don’t have any debt in the county, which we can be proud of.”

Commissioner Dallas Roskamp pointed out that the levy going up 8 percent does not mean that everyone’s property taxes will go up that amount. Each property’s total tax is determined using a formula that includes the taxable market value, and the taxes set by each taxing district – county, city, school district, and any special districts. 

The County Auditor’s office will send out preliminary tax statements in October and after all districts set their official levy in December, the actual tax statements for 2023 will be mailed. 

Pipestone County Sheriff Keith Vreeman introduced two new deputies to the board. Brian Bridgewater started on August 29 and is replacing Quentin Johnson, who left the department to work in the county highway department. Kaylee Bents started on Sept. 14. 

Cathy Feste, the county human resources manager, informed the board that Duane Miersma, the Ruthton highway maintenance worker, is retiring effective Oct. 5. He has been with the county for 7.5 years.  They have not found anyone to replace him yet. 

County Assessor Joyce Schmidt plans to retire next spring. The county will begin advertising for this position so they can get someone hired before she retires so that they can have some overlap. In the meantime, they have discontinued looking for a new appraiser at this point. 

They county is also still advertising for a mechanic. 

The county highway building is a steel frame building. Highway Engineer Nick Bergman had a company out to analyze the structure, which he knows is in need of repairs. There are areas where the metal work needs to be replaced and several other repairs that need to be addressed. The county will work with local contractors to get those repairs made next spring and summer. 

The board approved buying culverts from True North Steel for $13,833. 

The board discussed dynamic signs for Edgerton and Woodstock. Woodstock would like two dynamic speed signs, the type that displays the speed of an oncoming vehicle. Edgerton is looking for some dynamic pedestrian crossing signs. 

The board approved a fuel system software update for the county fueling system. Dockendorf Equipment is the only supplier. The county approved spending $6,926 on this update. 

The board approved the purchase of a motor grader from Ziegler Cat for $274,445 with a 60 month/5,000 hour warranty. This does not include any snow equipment, but the county should be able to use their existing equipment on this machine. 

This is a 2023 budget item and delivery would be expected late next year and the county pays when the machine is delivered. Bergman asked the county to approve this now because on Oct. 1 the price would go up 10 percent. 

The board approved the purchase of a new Durango for the sheriff’s department from Papik Motors. The PCSO has new vehicles in the 2023 budget, but in the current economy, getting vehicles has been a problem in the past. This brand new vehicle was made available to the PCSO because they tried to order one earlier this year and could not get one. 

“We don’t know what next year’s prices are going to be or what we will be able to get.” Sheriff Vreeman said. This purchase was not in the 2022 budget, but the county could save almost $5,000 over the price they paid earlier this year, with the final cost of this Dodge Durango being $35,500 with the “Pursuit package.” Ewing explained that the county can use audit reserve spending to pay for this expense early.

The courthouse will be getting new window shades. The two local suppliers of window treatments declined to submit a bid on the project because of the nature of the courthouse windows. The county accepted a bid from Budget Blinds out of Sioux Falls to do the work for $9,610. 

The board approved appointing Earl De Wilde, Randy Kraus, and Peter Petersen to the Lincoln Pipestone Rural Water Board.