THE LATEST: Hennepin County commissioners gave the final go-ahead to plans to add a planetarium to the top of the Minneapolis Central Library, opening the door for members of the Minneapolis Planetarium Society to begin fundraising to complete the project.

THE VOTE: The board vote was 5-2, with Commissioners Linda Koblick and Penny Steele voting against the measure.

The board made a slight change to the agreement to which it had given preliminary approval a month ago, saying the county's annual support for the planetarium will not exceed $250,000, or Minneapolis' contribution, whichever is less.

$5M ENDOWMENT: The city of Minneapolis has set up a $5 million endowment for the project, planning to draw $150,000 to $250,000 a year in interest to support the planetarium. County commissioners said they did not want to contribute any more per year to the planetarium than the city does. The board had to vote on the issue because it inherited the planetarium as part of this year's merger of the county and city library systems.

The state has committed $22 million in bonding authority for the project, and the Planetarium Society must raise an additional $20.5 million.

IN OTHER ACTION: Board members gave final approval to raising their own pay each of the next two years. Commissioners' salaries will go from $93,888 per year to $97,080 per year effective Jan. 1 and to $100,380 per year on Jan. 1, 2010. The percentage increase is identical to the salary-range maximum granted in settled county labor contracts for 2008 and 2009.

Koblick voted against the increase, and Steele abstained. Both are leaving the board at the end of the year.

The raises come as the board is contemplating a 2009 budget that includes $29 million in state and federal budget cuts, including elimination of at least 220 county positions.

MARY JANE SMETANKA