Lenzendorf appointed new health officer for Crawford County
Sonya Lenzendorf
By Ted Pennekamp
During its regular meeting Tuesday morning, the Crawford County Board voted 15-0 to appoint Sonya Lenzendorf as the new County Health Officer. Lenzendorf, who has been with the Health Department for the past six years, will replace Cindy Riniker who resigned in September.
Lenzendorf was presented to the State Health Officer for approval, and the County Board confirmed the appointment on Tuesday.
The board also approved of Alan Morovits of the town of Seneca to serve the remainder of Larry Kelley’s term in District 12.
In addition, the board approved of a budget appropriation for county aid bridge construction totalling $225,931.34.
In other business, the board heard a presentation by County Treasurer Deanne Lutz regarding interest and penalties for property owners with delinquent property taxes. Lutz explained that the state legislature passed a bill which went into effect as law on Oct. 18 whereby people who were delinquent on their property taxes could claim hardships due to COVID. If Crawford County and the municipalities were to approve, the county would have to pay the interest and penalties from Feb. 1 to Oct. 1 back to the residents who claim the COVID hardship.
Lutz said she didn’t like the fact that the new law affects delinquent property owners only and not every property owner because the property owners who paid their taxes in a timely manner could also have had a COVID hardship, but will not be entitled to any relief.
Lutz also noted that Crawford County was one of only 10 counties in the state last year that gave a property tax payment extension to Oct. 1.
Lutz said interest of $100,348.53 and penalties totalling $49,709.69 has been collected by the county from Feb. 1 to Oct. 1 for a total of $150,058.22 that would potentially have to be refunded to the delinquent property owners if the county and municipalities approve.
Lutz also said that the County Finance Committee will take up the matter during its meeting on Oct. 20. If the Finance Committee does not approve, the matter ends right there and property owners who are delinquent will not be eligible for a refund. In addition, if the matter comes before the full county board and the board does not approve, the matter ends and there will be no refunds. If the county should approve, but a municipality does not approve, the property tax delinquent residents who live in those municipalities would not be eligible for a refund.
In a different matter, Lutz also addressed the board regarding errors by assessors of six properties within the county. She said that because of these errors, the county could face “charge backs” totalling approximately between $30,000 to $50,000 to be paid back to the municipalities.
Lutz said this has never happened before with such large errors. In the past, errors by assessors have been in the range of $200-$300 which the county just paid.
Lutz said she is waiting to hear from the state as to what the exact figures are, and the state has until Nov. 15 to provide those figures. She, therefore, asked if the county could reschedule its County Budget Hearing from Nov. 9 to Nov. 16.
The board decided not to reschedule its budget hearing. Lutz said she could give the board a relatively close estimate of what the final amounts will be before the hearing on Nov. 9. In the meantime, County Attorney Mark Peterson is looking into the matter, and noted the county has never had to deal with this situation before.
In further business, supervisor Gary Koch told the board the county may have to have short-term borrowing of up to $500,000 as a way to exceed the levy limit as part of the upcoming county budget. The borrowing would be paid back in a relatively short period. The county borrowed $500,000 two years ago in such a manner. Last year, the county borrowed $425,000. Koch said interest rates are very favorable. The board will take up the matter during its Nov. 9 Budget Hearing.
