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Iron County sets $5.78M budget for 2019, keeps same tax rate

CRYSTAL FALLS — The Iron County Board has approved a $5.78 million general budget for 2019 that keeps the property tax rate unchanged for another year.

That rate will be 6.43 mills, or $6.43 per $1,000 of taxable property value, the third straight year at that amount.

General fund revenues for the year will be $5,781,860, up from $5.59 million in 2018, including a property tax levy of $3,281,862.

The public hearing earlier in Tuesday’s meeting drew only one comment, from a person asking where a copy of the budget could be viewed. County Administrator Gene Smith said it’s posted on the county’s web site at https://ironmi.org/news/financials/, plus is on file at the county courthouse and at several other sites.

In other business, the board:

— Joined at least Marquette and Baraga counties in opposing state Senate Bill 396. Sponsored by Republican state Sen. Tom Casperson, the bill would remove many of the seasonal restrictions on transportation of forestry products and equipment on county roads. Board Chairman Tim Aho was the only member not to back the move, which was recommended by the county’s Road Commission.

— Heard the county has 19 properties available in an online auction on the county’s website. Treasurer Melanie Camps said bids will be awarded Nov. 2.

— Listened to a presentation by Amy Marinoff, director of the Equalization Department, on the 2018 Apportionment Report that, among other information, listed the county’s total taxable property value at $508,181,378, up about $14.1 million from the previous year.

— Decided to advertise again to fill a vacancy on the Housing Commission, after the first posting drew no applicants. The commission has enough members it can continue to function even when shorthanded, said Steve Tinti, the county’s civil counsel.

— Authorized spending $28,800 to replace the county’s main operating software server.

— Approved a standard operating procedure to maintain a reserve fund balance of at least 17 percent of the general budget, or roughly enough to cover two months of government operations. For 2019, that would be about $982,916. Ideally it would be more, but it’s something the county can build on, Tinti said.

— Also passed a resolution urging the state to keep the Ojibway Correctional Facility in Marenisco Township in Gogebic County open.

— Said yes to selling excess minor property, such as old computers and other outdated equipment, on eBay or other outlets to clear out clutter in the courthouse. Smith said he doesn’t expect to get much — “There’s just not a lot of demand anymore for thermal fax machines,” he noted — but at least they tried before sending it away for disposal.

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