November Update: County Newsletter
Happy Holidays to everyone! I apologize for the slight delay on the November update. Time got away from me with a frantic end of the teaching term and the holiday. The end of October and beginning of November were fully dedicated to passing this year’s budget, which was a surprisingly smooth process this year. While I am not on the finance committee, I sat in on most of the budget hearings, and I was very impressed with the efficiency of all of our county departments that presented and with the supervisors on the finance committee who asked discerning questions to make sure all our tax dollars are spent wisely. Here are a few highlights from this year’s budget:
Overall I’ll quote our Board Chair Monica Yuhas, who said: “Tonight, we voted to approve a budget that delivers essential services while keeping the tax levy low for our taxpayers. This is no small feat and speaks volumes about our collective commitment to serving our community. In crafting this budget, we’ve prioritized critical services that enhance the quality of life in our county — services that support public safety, human services, and infrastructure. These are the pillars that allow our community to thrive.”
Budget highlights:
◼ The owner of a median-value home will pay $2.83 less in county property taxes as
compared to a year ago, marking the fourth consecutive year county taxes will decrease
on a median-value home.
◼ The budget continues a commitment to public safety and human services, adding an
embedded social worker position within the Sheriff’s Department to help connect people
to resources in times of need during behavioral health-related calls for service.
◼ Major projects include the Ceremonial Courtroom restoration, for which more than $2
million in private donations have been raised, planning for the next phase of Highway K
expansion west of 94th Court and for safety-minded improvements to Highway W from
Wilmot to the state line. I know many people in the district were instrumental to this fundraising (especially the courtroom restoration), and I am glad we were able to follow through on this project smoothly.
In our subsequent proceedings, we have had only a few notable items of business. PDEEC (Planning, Development, and Extension Education Committee) has been working hard to put in place a safety ordinance for battery energy storage systems (BESS). This is vitally important as we transition to more sustainable forms of energy (storing energy harvested from solar farms, for example). This will also be important as the tech industry moves into our area (Microsoft, for example). The committee has been consulting with experts from across the country who have worked with these systems for as long as they have existed, and we are all working hard to build the community’s trust, so that we can make this vitally important move toward more sustainable energy sources.
I will be taking off December from the newsletter. We won’t have a lot of news to report, and I’m sure all of you will be taking valuable time to rest or spend time with loved ones. I wish you all a happy holiday season. I am so grateful this year to continue building relationships with my community. I look forward to continuing to fight for all of you through whatever is coming in 2025.
Recordings:
All Budget Hearings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPzXMXvnx1Juol4V47mGG09XIcNbHKUis
November 6th Recordings (Public Hearing Organizational Meeting, Board Meeting) : https://www.youtube.com/live/ifFPG7klSLk?si=ijyDDj99_-3BhwXU
November 7th County Board Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/live/e6qRdtiNpok?si=0D9JXjumNoLGnyXP
November 19th County Board Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/live/MSww8AEd8ik?si=mop7RlbiDfUT9IaE