Dakota County faces a year of “hard conversations and tough choices” regarding its budget, according to the new board chair.
Laurie Halverson was elected Dakota County Board Chair on Jan. 6, 2026.
Dakota County Commissioner Laurie Halverson was elected by her fellow commissioners on Tuesday to serve as Board Chair for 2026.
“2026 is going to be a big year — it’s going to be a ‘buckle-up’ year,” Halverson said in a county news release. “It is a year that we’re going to ask everybody to do their very best, and I know they will.”
Halverson, who represents Mendota Heights, Mendota, Sunfish Lake, Lilydale and parts of Eagan, has served on the board since 2021. She succeeds Commissioner Mike Slavik as board chair.
In the coming year, the county plans to reopen West St. Paul’s renovated Wentworth Library, construct a new recycling facility in Lakeville and expand greenways in Mendota Heights and beyond, per the release.
The county also plans to administer elections, finish transportation projects and find ways to make social service resources more accessible for residents.
Last month the board passed a final 2026 budget of $528 million, with a 9.9% levy increase and warnings of similar tax hikes likely next year.
“It’s going to be a big year, but we’ve got a lot of expertise to bring to the table,” Halverson said in the release.
Commissioner Bill Droste, who represents Inver Grove Heights, Rosemount, Empire and parts of Eagan, will serve as board vice chair for 2026.
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