County office presents flat FY26 budget; alternative school moves into leased campus

A staff member presented the office's fiscal 2026 budget to the Union County Board of Commissioners and said the request is essentially flat, with a net decrease of approximately $8 and a county share of roughly 16%, about $29,900. "We're keeping our budget flat for, fiscal year. There's a very slight decrease in $8," the staff member said. The presenter added that the office's share of the overall budget has historically been about 16% and that the county's FY26 share is "just over 16%." The presentation described revenue sources primarily from state funds, with a 1% sales tax that the presenter said "was passed by the state a few years ago. That's in statute." The presenter told commissioners the office has separated operationally from Jackson County government, moved out of the courthouse into leased office space owned by Spiro Family Services, and opened one residential unit on that campus as a new alternative school site. He invited commissioners to a planned ribbon-cutting on Sept. 30. The presenter said the office previously ran larger budgets before 2021 and that operating costs are being controlled by relying on state revenue streams and tighter spending. Commissioners asked questions about the separation from Jackson County and whether the change in payroll and revenue handling would cause future issues; the presenter said the county share is a relatively small portion and that statutory remedies exist if needed. No formal vote on the budget request occurred at the meeting; the presentation was informational and commissioners did not adopt a budget document during the session.