Crow Wing County to Cut 26 Full-Time Jobs

The Crow Wing County Board of Commissioners is proposing a nearly three percent increase in the levy. The 2009 proposed budget is over $35-million. While the levy is going up, the number of county employees will be going down. The board is calling for the elimination of 26 full time jobs, 10 of which will be involuntary, and will take place immediately. County Board Chair Rachel Reabe Nystrum said, with reduced revenues and increased expenses, they had to make major cuts. Rising energy and road construction costs, combined with a decrease in building permit revenue, triggered the cuts.