Commission sets groundwork for department budget requests

Linn County government department heads are in the process of lining out their budget requests for 2027. The county commission also with the county clerk discussed what the commission wants to see in those requests. (Wix file photo)

By Charlene Sims, Journal staff

LCJeditor@icloud.com

MOUND CITY – On Monday, June 29, the Linn County Commissioners approved signing the letter of intent to exceed the revenue neutral rate. This letter, which is given to the county clerk to forward to the state, does not bind the county to exceed the budget. However, it does give them an extra six weeks to finalize the budget.

County Clerk Chasity Ware explained to the commissioners that former County Clerk David Lamb, who is helping her with the 2027 budget, said that this had been done for several years.

Ware told the commissioners that department heads had been asking her if the commission was going to set aside specific times for them to meet with the commission.

“I‘ll just use the district court,” Ware said. “So if they were ready could they come in like next Monday? Can they start where it’s so you’re not bogged down with 10 departments at one time. Or do you want to just have specific dates for them?”

“I want specific dates, personally,” Commissioner Chair Alison Hamilton said. “But the way we did it previously, we’ll need all that information in a folder prior to them coming in. So do you want to start a SharePoint folder for the 2027 budget; in that folder you would put a folder for each department?”

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Commissioner Jim Johnson said three or four could be scheduled at a time.

“What are your thoughts on how you’re going to approach it differently this year?” Hamilton asked Ware.

“I will do whatever you guys want to do,” Ware responded. “But I just feel like when a department head has their stuff and I can get it in SharePoint, potentially they would maybe be able to come in so you’re not here until two or three each Monday. So, that was where I was going with that.”

Ware said she would get the exceeding revenue neutral notice published and start collecting department heads budgets. She said she would set up the folder as Hamilton requested and that maybe that second week of July start scheduling a few departments to present budget proposals.

“I know we determined we were going to do a zero-based budget,” Hamilton said. “So, I’m just making sure everybody’s aware that we’re doing zero.”

At the April 27, 2026 meeting, Hamilton asked Ware about the budget sheet and Ware explained the departments had the same budget sheet but answered the questions differently.

County Counselor Jacklyn Paletta interrupted and reminded Hamilton that the commissioners wanted a zero-based budget from all of the department heads last year. She said only a couple of them had actually done that.

Paletta said commissioners could decide whether they wanted to do that again, in which case Ware could explain that zero-based budget, which means allocating every dollar as you all had explained last year. Maybe that would get you some better numbers closer to what you’re looking for, she added.       

“Everybody is fully aware, and I will tell you right now I have had every department head that’s called back in and inquired a little bit more regarding that zero budget is a little frustrated and concerned,” Ware said. “They’re not sure how that’s possible because we don’t always know the potential outcome that, you know for example, we don’t know that my laptop might shut down and I have to get a new laptop and there’s $3,500.

“So I’m just sharing what they are sharing with me is that they’re a little frustrated that they can give you what they’ve spent and what they potentially plan to spend the following year but they can’t. It’s going to be really tough.

“I think you had suggested to give an example, Ali, about to the penny of what something’s going to cost. And Lisa (Kelstadt, county appraiser) shared with you today, you know, she’s trying to do everything she can do to save costs. I just wanted you guys to be aware that they are aware, they’re fully aware but they’re also explaining it’s going to be really tough to do that.

“I know I’ll be in the same situation especially when it comes to the election budget. How tough that’s going to be able to give you what that’s going to look like, but I’ll do my best.”