Veterans in Sherburne County and across the nation will see the largest healthcare and benefit expansion in 30 years.
Last week, Sherburne County Veterans Service Officer Bruce Price updated members of the county board on the PACT Act. The full name of the law is The Sergeant First Class (SFC) Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
The PACT Act is a new law that expands VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. The law helps provide generations of veterans and their survivors with the care and benefits they’ve earned and deserve.
The PACT Act:
• Expands and extends eligibility for VA healthcare for veterans with toxic exposures and veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf War, and post-9/11 eras;
• Adds more than 20 new presumptive conditions for burn pits and other toxic exposures;
• Adds more presumptive-exposure locations for Agent Orange and radiation;
• Requires the VA to provide a toxic exposure screening to every veteran enrolled in VA health care;
• Helps improve research, staff education and treatment related to toxic exposures;
• Requires research studies on mortality of veterans who served in Southwest Asia during the Gulf War, post-9/11 veteran health trends and veteran cancer rates.
The Act also authorizes 31 new medical facilities across the country, providing greater access to VA health care.
TLID Budget
The board approved the Three Lake Improvement District (TLID) 2023 budget of $70,800.
The TLID was established in 2016 to help fund lake maintenance and improvement projects and includes waterfront properties on Julia, Briggs and Rush Lakes in Palmer Twp., all part of the Briggs Lake chain.
With an expected budget carryover from 2022, the request is to add a $64,651.23 assessment on the County Tax Rolls
Based on 433 parcels in the District, the assessed property owners will pay $149.31 per property in 2023 for the projects included in the TLID’s budget.
SHIP Grant
The board approved and accepted the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership (SHIP) annual grant award in the amount of $250,700 for the budget period of Nov. 1 2022 to Oct. 31, 2023.
It is the third grant portion of the same amount in a five-year agreement with the county totalling $1,253,500. The grants ends Oct. 31, 2025.
An annual budget and work plan must be approved by MDH by Nov. 1 of each year and will be incorporated into the Grant Project Agreement by reference. Funding is contingent on legislative approval each biennium and MDH reserves the right to change funding amounts based on the total appropriated to SHIP.
Other Business
In other actions the board:
• Approved a Community Resource Non-Profit Investment Grant Agreement with The Wave for $36,600 utilizing ARPA funding;
• Approved a contract amendment with Lockridge Grindal Nauen P.L.L.P. - Primacy Strategy Group to represent the county for lobbying during the upcoming 2022-23 Federal and State Legislative Sessions. The amendment increases the cost from $6,667 to $7,000 per month;
• Approved a letter in support of Benton County’s request for federal funding to construct the new alignment segment of the Hwy.10 to Hwy. 23 connection (the Co. Rd. 29 Corridor Project);
• Approved a letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in support of a proposed Xcel Energy land sale to Elk River Technologies;
• Approved a 2022-2023 liquor license application for Bar 10 in Big Lake Twp. contingent upon sheriff and county attorney signatures, for the license period of Aug. 19, 2022 - Aug. 18, 2023;
• Approved the purchase of a new printer for Wellpath - the jail mental and clinical health group, at a cost of $71/month for 48 months from Marco ($3,408 total);
• Proclaimed Sept. 2022 as Recovery (from addiction) Month in Sherburne County.
Last Meeting
The Sherburne County Board two weeks ago certified the 2023 preliminary tax levy in the amount of $58,726,368.
That represents a 6.99% increase over the final 2022 levy of $54,889.085.
Administrator Bruce Messelt said there were a number of factors that led to the increase. He said the county settled labor agreements for the next three years to help recruiting and retention. The agreements included a modest Cost-of-Living increase of 2.5% to remain competitive and a range increase of 3.5% each of the next three years.
Those personnel costs accounted for $2.55 million of the levy hike, said Messelt.
Other factors that affected the levy:
• Library costs are up over $100,000;
• A change in healthcare providers for Corrections added $240,000;
• State program was cut $125,000;
• Document revenue in the recorder’s office is down $158,000;
• A loss of internal revenue from reserves, tax forfeitures and sheriff bond payments totalling $615,000;
• Most county revenues, investments and grants are down $400,000 from three years ago (Pre-COVID);
• Another $50,000 was added to levy when a corrections officer’s salary was shifted from the Enterprise Fund;
• An additional $250,000 investment in parks.
Messelt said the original levy increase discussed in August was 7.76%. But staff adjusted revenue projections by $185,000, utilized federal ARPA funds to offset pandemic related costs and reduced projected expenses in multiple departments, saving approximately $40,000.
He said due to rising residential market values and over $220 million in new construction countywide, the county’s tax base is expected to grow by some 21%. That should result in a tax rate decrease of 12%.
With the higher tax base, individual property taxes would be lower in 2023 if property values remained the same. But since property values have not stayed flat and have increased approximately 21%, a 6.99% levy increase would add approximately $10 per month in county taxes for a property of valued at $344,000.
Messelt said even with the increase, Sherburne County continues to have some of the lowest per capita taxes in the state. And there is still a chance it may be lower by the time the final levy is approved at the end of the year.
“County staff will continue to look for ways to further reduce the Final 2023 Budget and Levy prior to final certification in December,” said Messelt.
