Olmsted County Eyeing 5-Year Project List Costing $520 Million

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Olmsted County Board has a busy agenda for its final meeting of the year this evening.

The commissioners are scheduled to hold a public hearing on the county's five-year $520 million Capital Improvement Plan which includes issuing $45 million in bonds next year to help finance various projects. The capital spending plan for next year totals around $118 million, which includes $20 million for a new Solid Waste Material Recovery Facility, and another $11 million for the planned construction of a new interchange at the junction of Highway 14 and County Road 44 just west of Rochester.

The longer-range plans include $35 million for expanding court and law enforcement spaces at the government center by remodeling existing spaces in county facilities. Nearly 50% of the five-year CIP is dedicated to transportation projects, while county facility needs and upgrades to Graham Park account for nearly $150 million of the $520 million total.

The County Board will also vote this evening to adopt the county's 2024 budget and property tax levy. The resolution puts the levy at nearly $124.3 million to support a $310 million budget. It is also proposed that the county collect a $1.4 million levy for library purposes and a $4.9 million levy to address housing needs in Olmsted County including homeless prevention and housing stability.

The long agenda also includes proposed pay raises for the County Commissioners and other top elected officials. The resolution calls for raising the annual salaries paid to the commissioners by about $5500 to just under $58,000. The commissioners also receive a $600 payment each month as a stipend to cover their in-county expenses. The resolution sets the annual pay for the Olmsted County Attorney next year at a little over $207,000, while it puts the Sheriff's salary at about $175,500.

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