Henry County OKs $19.6 million budget

Henry County supervisors approved the 2021-2022 budget Tuesday, including an increase in the levy.

'This was the hardest budget I've ever had to work on,” Supervisor Marc Lindeen said. 'We tried to keep the levy down and still be fair.”

The urban levy was increased to $8.92506 per $1,000 valuation and the rural levy was increased to $12.87506 per $1,000 tax evaluation.

A big reason the levy was increased was due to insurance and its valuation. Henry County is under the Iowa Communities Assurance Pool for all of its liability insurances. Due to the derecho this past summer, the claims from the storm caused an increase from the insurance company. Even though Henry County wasn't directly affected by the derecho, the county had to share in the insurance aftermath, which amounted to a $30,000 liability increase.

David Helman, a regular advocate for Public Health, asked the supervisors how the county would provide more funds to Public Health if the pandemic and its situation were to worsen.

'We don't know where it's going, and there's a chance that the burden could grow on Shelley and Public Health,” Helman said, referring to Public Health Director Shelley Van Dorin.

County Auditor Shelly Barber pointed out that the levy increase would help the county restore some of its reserves in case something like Helman's scenario were to arise down the road.

The 2021/2022 Henry County budget is divided into the departments:

'Non-Departmental Transfers - $1,698,811

' Supervisors - $209,190

' Auditor - $424,349

' Treasurer - $591,350

' County Attorney - $638,918

' Sheriff - $3,888,345

' Planning & Zoning - $119,638

' Recorder - $324,849

' General Assistance - $39,455

' Engineer - $5,781,700

' Veteran Affairs - $66,500

' Conservation - $517,705

' Board of Health - $847,658

' Environmental Health - $78,700

' Human Services - $35,410

' Medical Examiner - $50,500

' District Court - $10,550

' County Libraries - $65,000

' Courthouse - $175,008

' Data Processing - $544,873

' Mental Health - $1,123,389

' Juvenile Probation - $187,300

' County Farm - $1,500

' Non-departmental - $2,241,632

The total budget is $19,662,330.

The Henry County Board of Supervisors also approved the 1 percent wage increase for all elected and nonelected county employees.