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FAIRMONT-- Following a budget workshop last week, the Martin County Board of Commissioners in their regular meeting on Tuesday learned that the possible 2027 levy increase of 6.59 percent had dropped to a 6.57 percent increase with the levy dollar amount at $25.3 million.
Commissioner Joe Loughmiller made a motion to approve the preliminary levy at a 6.57 percent increase. Commissioner Richard Koons seconded it to move forward with discussion.
"I still think it's too high," Koons said. "It is a good starting point and we can work down from there in the next two months."
Loughmiller agreed and said they could look for reasonable ways that aren't on the backs of the employees to lower the levy.
Commissioner Jaime Bleess added that they could get creative between now and December to find way to lower the levy.
In a roll call vote, the preliminary 2027 budget and levy passed unanimously. It cannot be raised, only lowered, before the final 2027 budget and levy is adopted in December.
Moving to another matter, Building Maintenance Director, Luke Cyphers, spoke about a few recent incidents in the Law Enforcement Center (LEC).
The first, he said, happened on Sept. 1 when there was an attempt to install a garbage disposal in the jail staff bubble.
"The plumbing company removed the drain and when they attempted to remove the vent pipe for that sink it crumbled inside the wall," explained Cyphers. "Rusty, cast iron pipes which resulted in a water leak that penetrated the basement. Unfortunately it was in the server room which got computer equipment wet."
He said the second incident happened on Sept. 8 when most of the city of Fairmont lost power and caused a few blown fuses in the LEC.
"After we got everything up and running, the air conditioning wasn't working for floor two so we contacted and electrician and the electrician came and said it was in the HVAC system itself," Cyphers said.
Then he contacted a specialist who came in and said that the compressor had essentially been fried.
Since then Cyphers got a few bids and a new compressor is coming in around $9,000. He said he has been in contact with the Minnesota Counties Intergovernmental Trust (MCIT), which provides property casualty coverage, about it. Cyphers said he did not know the cost for the server and equipment damaged in incident one, though.
IT Director, Jeramie Jones, shared that he thinks it will be about $30,000 total for the replacement of five network servers from the burst pipe.
Next, Cyphers gave a brief update of some other ongoing projects in the county. He said that for the 1200 N. State Street remodel project, everything is on track with the building and that work is about to start on the parking lot, too.
For the Human Services building flooring project, he said it has been ordered through Matt's Flooring out of Blue Earth, which will be doing the project. However the county maintenance staff has been painting the walls on the floor ahead of the flooring installation.
"The courthouse mural project, they have been working hard. They work on weekends, they stay late. They think it will be done this week," Cyphers said.
In other business, the board:
-- Recognized Chief Deputy Corey Klanderud after 15 years of service. He will retire Sept. 30.
-- Was introduced to new employee, Theresa Schrader, full time assessment technician.
-- Accepted a donation of $248,471 to the Martin County Library from the Robert and Hazel Clark Trust.
-- Set a public hearing time and date of 9:15 a.m. on Oct. 20 for a single family home tax abatement request in Tenhassen Township.
-- Approved the temporary appointment of Sergeant Matt Owens to to the chief deputy sheriff position, effective Oct. 1 through Jan. 4, 2027 and authorized recruitment of a full-time deputy sheriff position.
-- Approved the increase of IRS mileage reimbursement rate from .725 to .76, effective July 1, 2026.