Adams County committee preview: balanced 2027 budget, $21.47M levy and planned transfers
October 03, 2026 | Adams County, Wisconsin
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"So I'm proud to inform the county board that the budget is balanced," Kyle said as he opened the committee's review of the proposed 2027 budget.
Kyle walked the committee through the budget timeline and key assumptions: net new construction of 1.788% (roughly $360,000 of allowable levy increase), a county wage-schedule increase equal to a 4.1% cost-of-living adjustment, and a health-insurance increase estimated at 20% with the county responsible for 85% of premiums. He said two transfers—$1,800,000 to capital project funds and $1,300,000 to the phase 3/4 building project capital fund—would bring the general fund to about a 30% unassigned fund-balance target.
The presentation included levy and mill-rate details: the county levy excluding some adjustments was listed at $20,350,892; Kyle said total county levy will be about $21,469,413 (an increase of roughly $331,000) and that the countywide mill rate is approximately $3.64 per $1,000 of valuation. He noted the mill rate can fall even as levy dollars rise because of growth in equalized value.
Department-level wage and benefits totals were presented: county-wide wages and benefits were budgeted at $24,832,919 in 2026 and proposed at $26,090,823 in 2027 (an increase of roughly $1.3 million). Kyle highlighted shifts that affect those totals, including moving three positions from Health & Human Services into centralized accounting within finance.
Kyle told the committee the budget presentation to the administrative & finance committee will be followed by notice of the public hearing (newspaper notice Oct. 21) and a public hearing scheduled for Nov. 10 at 6 p.m., where the county board will be asked to adopt the budget.
Committee members asked for clarifications on specific line items, requested clearer line-item reporting for maintenance codes, and discussed whether certain presenters should also present at full-board meetings. The committee did not take final action on the budget at this meeting; adoption remains scheduled for the November county board meeting.
Kyle walked the committee through the budget timeline and key assumptions: net new construction of 1.788% (roughly $360,000 of allowable levy increase), a county wage-schedule increase equal to a 4.1% cost-of-living adjustment, and a health-insurance increase estimated at 20% with the county responsible for 85% of premiums. He said two transfers—$1,800,000 to capital project funds and $1,300,000 to the phase 3/4 building project capital fund—would bring the general fund to about a 30% unassigned fund-balance target.
The presentation included levy and mill-rate details: the county levy excluding some adjustments was listed at $20,350,892; Kyle said total county levy will be about $21,469,413 (an increase of roughly $331,000) and that the countywide mill rate is approximately $3.64 per $1,000 of valuation. He noted the mill rate can fall even as levy dollars rise because of growth in equalized value.
Department-level wage and benefits totals were presented: county-wide wages and benefits were budgeted at $24,832,919 in 2026 and proposed at $26,090,823 in 2027 (an increase of roughly $1.3 million). Kyle highlighted shifts that affect those totals, including moving three positions from Health & Human Services into centralized accounting within finance.
Kyle told the committee the budget presentation to the administrative & finance committee will be followed by notice of the public hearing (newspaper notice Oct. 21) and a public hearing scheduled for Nov. 10 at 6 p.m., where the county board will be asked to adopt the budget.
Committee members asked for clarifications on specific line items, requested clearer line-item reporting for maintenance codes, and discussed whether certain presenters should also present at full-board meetings. The committee did not take final action on the budget at this meeting; adoption remains scheduled for the November county board meeting.
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