Kirsten Running Marquardt, chair of the Linn County Board of Supervisors, delivered the Linn County State of the Union address on May 9, 2024.
Running-Marquardt discussed Linn County's challenges and accomplishments, including difficult budget cuts of $1.7 million in the current budget year and $1 million in fiscal year 2025, which begins July 1. Running-Marquardt shared examples of budget efficiencies the county is implementing. A retrocommissioning program for three of the county's largest buildings aimed at maximizing energy efficiency and reducing operating costs, and a survey of various parcels of land that Linn County owns throughout the county for sale, lease, and or otherwise consider absolving the county of liability.
“We're always looking for ways to better manage your tax dollars, invest better in our communities, and find efficiencies,” Running Marquardt said. “These efficiencies won't prevent us from having to make tough budget decisions in the future, but they will give us a little more flexibility to focus on our priorities.”
Running Marquardt shared examples of how Linn County supports residents to address complex issues such as mental health, homelessness, and other social services. She shared success stories of lives saved by Linn County sheriff's deputies, residents who used the Mental Health Access Center, and residents who took Lyft buses to their weekly dialysis appointments.
Other successes include helping a veteran who owed $124,000 to the U.S. Treasury receive a $53,000 payment from the federal Department of Veterans Affairs instead; These include trail projects such as the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, which extends from the United States to Cedar. Waterfalls support recreation and promote economic development in communities like Ely.
“We work together to improve the lives of our residents and make Linn County a better place to live,” Supervisor Running Marquardt said. “Whether you've lived in Linn County your entire life like I have, or moved here from elsewhere, I want our residents to have the same pride in Linn County. Everyone is welcome in our community.”
Linn County Auditor Joel Miller also spoke at the county administration report. He reflected on the successes and challenges of his 17 years as County Auditor and Board of Elections, and his commitment to improving customer service, increasing efficiency, reducing taxes, and including everyone in local government.
Auditor Miller's examples include adding voter assistance positions with bilingual personnel and ensuring that all election office full-time employees are nationally qualified (two are nationally qualified). ), mailing sample ballots to approximately 90,000 households in 2019, and providing transparency and credibility in the electoral process. By publishing the names of all write-in candidates and hiring Chartered Accountants for the post of Deputy Auditor of Accounting Services.
Auditor Miller also spoke about his firm's recently adopted code of ethics: “Although the language of the Code of Ethics is new, the concepts, the commitments and standards in how elections are administered are not new to me or my staff.”Linn County…I believe in democracy. I believe that the solution to a better democracy is to involve more people in it. ”
Auditor Miller previously announced that he would not seek re-election.
The State of the County address was recorded and streamed live on the Linn County website.
The event was free and open to the public.
Watch a recording of the county
County video
Download a copy of the speech
Speech by Supervisor Kirsten Running-Marquardt (PDF)
Speech by Auditor Joel Miller (PDF)