BROOKINGS — A nearly $54 million provisional budget was OK’d by the Brookings County Commission on a 5-0 vote on Tuesday morning — and it includes a slight reduction in the county’s portion of the mill levy for next year.

“There may be some changes between this budget and the annual budget, which will be approved at the next meeting on Sept. 24,” Commission Department Director Stacy Steffensen said. “Usually we get some utility numbers and some things in before the annual budget, so it may change things a little bit — usually not too much. Basically what is in front of you is a balanced budget across all of our funds.”

The budget provides funding for a number of needs in the county, including the sheriff’s office, the detention center, payroll, and highway and bridge work. It’s the latter that required a bit of finessing in order to make ends meet.

“On our overlays and our seal-coat projects, we traditionally do — our overlays are 10 to 12 miles, we’re doing about 4 miles; we’ve cut back on some miles,” Commission Chairman Larry Jensen told the Brookings Register. “Our seal-coating, we’ve cut back on seal-coating miles just because of the price of oil and product. … We did some alternative maintenance to prolong the life of the roads. We still continue to do our bridge projects (as well).”

Overall, he said, Brookings County is in good shape financially.

“With the growth of the county and continued valuations increasing, we’re sitting pretty good,” Jensen noted. “That’s reflected in the mill levy going down.”

The county finance office has projected the county mill levy will from 4.004 to 3.929

Commissioner Ryan Krogman said the levy’s decline is good news for taxpayers.

“Obviously the assessed values and growth have allowed for more taxable value and that’s why it’s gone down,” he said. “It’s nice to see that mill levy dropping for taxpayers here on their property.”

In other business on Tuesday morning:

• On a 5-0 vote, approved a resolution setting vote center locations for countywide elections.

The only change was in Aurora, where the center will move from the fire hall to Aurora Impact Church, 201 E. Pine St. The venue change was brought about by weather concerns, along with the fact that a volunteer firefighter had to be present the entire time the hall was open for voting.

• Approved, again on a 5-0 vote, giving $500 to the National Civics Bee Initiative. It’s an education effort that’s being spearheaded by the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce’s Public Affairs committee.

— Contact Mondell Keck at mkeck@brookingsregister.com.