The Shawano County Board is expected to vote on a resolution to adopt the 2025 county budget and tax levy when in meets at 3 p.m. Oct. 23 at the county courthouse.
General county operations will total $16.5 million, and debt service obligations will be at $3.4 million. Bridge aid will be at $120,884. The gross county tax levy is proposed at $20.03 million. The tax levy mil rate will increase $0.09 or 2.38% from 2024.
The tax rate had declined the previous four years.
The operating levy increased by $91,106 or 0.56%, and the debt service has increased by $2.01 million or 11.78%. Net new construction was $264,370 or 1.61%.
Shawano County uses its annual budget of $75.55 million and 403 full-time equivalent employees to administer programs across 31 departments. The local tax levy provides $20.03 million of the revenues with the remainder coming from state and federal funding, and money generated from service fees.
According to the budget document, which is available in the Shawano County Department of Administration – Finance Division at the courthouse, the departments that make up most of the budget are the highway department at $20.5 million, human services department at $15.18 million and sheriff’s department at $8.78 million.
Conversely, the sheriff’s department has the biggest funding request of $7.28 million, the jail at $4.93 million, and county roads and bridges at $3.31 million.
“There are many challenges associated with the ever-increasing cost of administering unfunded state mandates, maintaining the county infrastructure and managing increased vendor costs for health insurance, liability insurance, property insurance, fuel and natural gas, supplies and service providers,” according to the budget document.
Health insurance premiums are budgeted at a 6.55% increase. The carrier will remain unchanged, but the county will switch from a broad network to a focused network to keep overall costs down.
The county contributes to a high deductible and a low deductible health plan; union employees will continue to pay the negotiated premium according to the current contract.
In a separate resolution, supervisors are expected to agree to borrow $2 million for road construction and maintenance. Funds will be borrowed from Premier Community Bank in Marion at 5.5% interest. The short-term loan is projected to be paid back by March 17, 2025.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
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