calculator2Jamestown (CSi) The Stutsman County Commission has unanimously approved the 2016 budget, with a total expenditures of $27.1 million up from $23.3 million in 2015.

Total revenues for 2016 are projected at $26.8 million, up from $23 million in 2015. Most of the increase comes from $3.3 million in highway aid, $341,198 in new tax revenue and $200,000 in wind generation tax.

The commission approved setting the 2015 property tax mill levy at 98.11 mills, down 9.81 mills from 107.92 mills in 2014. Even with the drop in property taxes, the county will receive $408,881 more in property tax revenues than it did in 2014.

There is a $298,801 deficit between 2016 expenditures and revenues which will be made up through fund balances.

For a home with a value of $175,000, the taxable value is $7,875. For 2015 that home will have a property tax bill of $679, down from $747 in 2014.

Road projects totaling $3.5 million are the primary cause of the Stutsman County 2016 budget expenditures increasing 16 percent over the 2015 budget.

Stutsman County Auditor/COO, Casey Bradley also pointed out that there are also increases in total salaries and health insurance costs.

County Commissioner Dave Schwartz, said the $3.5 million for road projects will cover the cost of three major projects in 2016.

Those include, County Road 38 from Ypsilanti to N.D. Highway 62 to receive an asphalt overlay. The bridge on County Road 63 just south of Ypsilanti will be replaced. The road to Montpelier, 49th Street Southeast, 7 miles between U.S. Highway 281 to Montpelier, will also receive an asphalt overlay.

Schwartz pointed out that these projects will be funded through a bill approved by the state Legislature this year that provided $1.1 billion to local governments, mainly local governments directly affected by the Oil Patch.

In other business, the County Commission has unanimously approved a contract with Klein McCarthy & Co. to conduct an analysis of the Stutsman County Correctional Center to determine if the correctional center should be added onto, or should a new facility be built.