Board of Commissioners adopts county budget

Cheyenne County’s Board of Commissioners held a public hearing during Monday’s regular board meeting to adopt the 2016-17 Cheyenne County budget.

In the hearing, the Commissioners increased the 2016-17 restricted funds revenues, set this year’s tax levy, and approved a resolution of adoption and appropriations of this year’s Cheyenne County budget. All three items discussed in the hearing were approved, but not unanimously.

An email was read in the hearing, submitted by Terry Jessen, who said he has been attending budget hearings to provide a voice for agriculture. In the email Jessen said his message was simple. “Do not raise taxes, this is agriculture and can not afford any increase.” Jessen asked Cheyenne County Commissioners to lower the tax levy by lowering the tax reserves.

“When agriculture is down, governments in this part of the state need to reduce spending,” Jessen said in the email.

After hearing the email, the Commissioners approved a motion to take Jessen’s words under advisement.

The Commissioners approved a resolution that raised the restricted funds revenues by an additional one percent, which makes it 3.5 percent, on a vote of two for and one against. Commissioner Steven Olsen voted against the increase.

According to Cheyenne County Clerk Beth Fiegenschuh, budget talks begin around mid-Aug. with several workshops and meetings. The county also received the aid of budget authority contractor Pete Peterson, who Fiegenschuh said the county has used for many years.

The county budget was adopted in Monday’s meeting, again with of vote of two for and one against, with Olsen dissenting.

Fiegenschuh said the Cheyenne County Budget encompasses many departments with in the county and is what the county needs in order to run operations. What tax payers see on their taxes is the assessed valuation multiplied by the levy set fourth.

Fiegenschuh said the 2015-16 total assessed valuation was $1,481,372,007 whereas this years valuation is $1,555,646,200.

Valuations are based on commercial, residential and agricultural property. Once valuations are made they are multiplied by the set levy and that number is the amount tax payers will pay.

In Monday’s meeting Commissioners also set the 2016-17 Cheyenne County Tax Levy to .446427 which is a 1.2 percent difference from the 2015-16 levy of .429835.

Fiegenschuh said combined levy amounts vary depending on the district the taxpayer’s property is in.

The fiscal year for Cheyenne County is July 1 to June 30. With budgets having to be adopted by Sept. 20, Fiegenschuh said the county runs off of reserve funding until the budget is adopted.

“We also pay all of the costs pertaining to prisoners and the jail. Costs such as medical, food and provisions and court appointed attorneys,” Fiegenschuh said.

Taxes for 2016 will be due Dec. 31 but the first half of the taxes are not delinquent until May 1 2017 and second half taxes are delinquent Sept. 1 2017.

Cheyenne County Treasurer Diane Scott said the county accepts taxes in half and full payments only.