Leaders of the Mower County Historical Society want the county to increase its appropriations to the society to help bring employees’ salaries closer to the average for state employees.

That was one of a mix of opinions voiced by county residents at the county board’s truth in taxation meeting Thursday night over the county’s proposed 7 percent levy hike, which would bring the county’s levy by about $1.2 million to $18.6 million in 2015.

While several farmers urged the county board to halt incremental hikes to the levy, the historical society asked for additional funds, and one resident called for the board to reconsider a recommendation to deny Public Works Director Mike Hanson’s request for an additional $100,000 for materials for road projects.

Historical society board members again asked the board for more money next year to increase wages.

Historical board member Glenn Medgaarden said they’re currently paying their workers low salaries, including $8.50 for one worker with a master’s degree.

“I’m ashamed of it,” Medgaarden said.

Earlier this year, Director Dustin Heckman left Mower County for a higher paying director job in Goodhue County. While the society hired John Haymond for what it had been paying Heckman, leaders still asked the county for more help.

“We’d just like to beg and plead for you to help us out a little,” Medgaarden said.

However, the county may not have much room to add to what it funds next year. Since the county approved its maximum 7 percent levy in September, other changes have increased the county’s need to about 7.4 percent, so commissioners are still working to make cuts to the levy.

The finance committee recommended the county freeze all appropriations to all outside agencies, like the historical society, and it recommended denying all new requests, including a $15,000 request for the Austin Area Commission for the Arts.

State shifts accounted for much of the increased budget need, the largest coming from state aid. Though the state actually increased county program aid from $206 million to $209 million, the formula for distributing that aid means that Mower County will get $323,000 less. County Coordinator Craig Oscarson said several other agriculture-heavy counties, like Freeborn, also saw aid reductions. County program aid is based on ability to pay, and Oscarson said the increases in ag land values in recent years shifted the aid to metro counties.

Farmer Jim Hartson, a common figure at county truth in taxation meetings, called for the board to stop increasing the levy.

“Every year it’s a million here and million there and pretty soon we can’t afford to pay the bills,” he said.

Other farmers expressed concern about the amount of taxes paid per acre of farmland in Minnesota being much higher compared to Iowa.

Former Commissioner David Hillier asked about the future of the position of director of Health and Human Services. Lisa Kocer is currently the interim director after Julie Stevermer left the county earlier this year.

Kocer has received positive reviews from the board and county staff, and a decision is coming soon on whether she’ll stay in the role permanently. If she does, other changes will need to be made in regards to the office’s structure, since she’s essentially filling two roles right now.

Hillier urged the board to make the staffing decisions soon to get things finalized, as he said the state will penalize the department if the workload becomes too much and things fall behing.

“Those human services penalties, in my opinion, would be huge, huge penalties,” Hillier said.