County wraps year with look at finances

Commissioners also took on what they called the “uncomfortable task” of setting their own salaries for 2023. Board members debated whether to establish a formula based on a three-year rolling average of salary increases given to Carver County employees or a market comparison of metro area commissioner peers.

The majority opted for the peer market as a better comparison and awarded themselves a recommended 4 percent increase putting their 2023 compensation at $77,786 which is shy of the peer average.

In terms of the year in review, here are some of the highlights shared at the meeting:

The Highway 212 expansion was completed from Carver to Cologne and the county received a $10 million grant to support expansion from Cologne to Norwood Young America.

The county launched its Connect up Carver broadband initiative to expand high-speed internet service to remaining unserved and underserved areas of the county. Final connections are expected to be completed by December 2024.

The county achieved a AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s credit rating agency.

Carver County retained is status as the healthiest county in the state and was ranked the 5th healthiest county in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

Ground was broken on a waterfront service center for Lake Waconia Regional Park.

The county ran a smooth mid-term election.

Carver County was awarded a $750,000 drug treatment enhancement grant and received its first opioid drugmaker settlement payment of $86,000 which will be made annually over the next 20 years to help address treatment and drug related issues.

Public Health continued to give COVID-19 vaccines and distribute COVID tests.

The Carver County Library system returned to in person programming, while seeing a 52 percent increase in e-book checkouts.

The county also administered several environmental initiatives, including stream restoration and recycling/reuse projects.

In other business, with extreme winter cold settling in, Health and Human Services representatives were before commissioners to request a reallocation of approved one-time Budget Stabilization Account (BSA) funds for use of extreme weather shelter vouchers and housing assistance hotel shelter vouchers for Carver County residents experiencing homelessness.

The pandemic recovery and current economic conditions have resulted in continued high demand for assistance and there is currently no other non-levy funding available for these services, according to Heather Goodwin, Health and Human Services deputy division director. Persons who receive shelter vouchers have an open case with HHS that are managed through the program, she said.

Commissioners approved a reallocation of $16,500 for extreme weather vouchers in 2023 and 2024, and $180,000 for housing assistance (hotel) shelter program and stabilization costs for 2023.

The county board also approved a request from Sheriff Jason Kamerud to create two full-time limited jail heath nurse positions as an interim solution to the contracted vendor currently providing the services filing for bankruptcy. Money budgeted in 2023 for the contract will be used to pay for the cost of the limited-term employees.