County commission approves 2025 budget

The Nodaway County Commissioners approved the projected 2025 income and expenditures during their budget hearing January 30.

County Clerk Melinda Patton, as the budget official, provided an official budget message, which can be found on page three of the Nodaway News Leader this week.

Federal programs of the recent past have brought millions of dollars into the county coffers from the American Rescue Plan Act, $4.290 million, a basic pass-through to other entities and businesses as well as the county’s need. The county commission has allocated all of these dollars that have to be spent by December 31, 2025.

The $10.117 million budget projects about $467,324 more in sales tax revenue compared to last year. Both sales tax and use tax have shown an increase the last two years. The road and bridge gravel taxes are expected to come in about $1.57 million.

The commission choose to keep the county-wide levy at 15¢ per $100 assessed value, being $700,000 for the administration center due to the estimated operation costs of $578,600 that includes a debt payment of $356,000 and possible maintenance of $38,000, utilities, $37,200 and custodial supplies, $11,000.

The E911 fund is estimated to bring in $1.091 million in taxes that will be paid to the City of Maryville due to the consolidation of the 911 Emergency Dispatch services and the beginning of the Nodaway County Emergency Services Board overseer of the Northwest Regional Communication Center located at the public safety facility. The E911 fund brought in $161,972.56 in 2024.

Capital improvements for the county will include five new bridges that are primarily funded through federal BRO dollars that will add up to a $1.417 million. Two will be just starting the process of construction with the engineering work. The road and bridge department budget is $3.896 million, with the plan for four newly constructed bridges. Some of the money for this department comes from the following: softmatch sales, $325,000; gas tax, $1,300,000; vehicle tax, $430,000; property tax transfer, $229,750; and general revenue transfer, $250,000.

Repairs will continue to be made to the Nodaway County Courthouse exterior of limestone and sandstone to keep the structure in its current state. Again this year, there are plans, $250,000 out of the ARPA funds, for the tuckpointing and other repairs in the 2025 budget.

Each county employee, full-time hired, was given a $2 per hour increase as well as they and the elected officials were given a two percent COLA raise this year.

The general revenue operating fund for the upcoming year is estimated to be $6.035 million, which is $1.102 million more than what came in last year.

The county’s funds support several general public welfare agencies. The amounts approved include: Extension Council, $33,000; Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments, $4,301; North Star Advocacy, $2,500; Big Brothers Big Sisters, $3,000; Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation, $2,500; The Ministry Center, $3,500; Child Support Contract, $2,000; Nodaway County Economic Development, $45,000; Emergency Management, $14,250; Soil and Water Conservation, $20,000; Children’s Mercy Hospital, $3,000; Safe Streets 4 All, $6,000; New Nodaway Humane Society, $2,000; Maryville Chamber, $1,500; and Boys/Girls State, $2,000