Committee advances several FY26 budgets, tables supervisor-assessor request amid levy concerns

The Administration Legal Affairs Committee approved several proposed fiscal year 2026 departmental budgets on Sept. 10 but voted to lay over the supervisor of assessors' personnel request for additional review as county officials model levy and insurance scenarios.

Committee members approved the administrative services and treasurer budgets after routine discussion and recorded voice votes in favor. Several other department budgets were approved in sequence by motion and voice vote.

During broader budget discussion, a committee member said the county faces a general fund shortfall driven by higher health-insurance estimates and a transfer to the capital fund to cover supplemental requests. That member said Veterans Assistance has requested $140,000 more than last year and that, absent a decision to increase taxes, the county would need to reduce other levies. The committee was presented with a working estimate of a general-fund gap in the range of $117,000 as of the meeting, with further budgets yet to be reviewed.

Supervisor of Assessors provided a breakdown of personnel requests and said she removed a part-time position in favor of hiring one full-time employee; changes reduced her overall budget. She also explained why her presented percentage appeared as 5 percent but that the actual pay increase for staff incorporated a 6 percent adjustment applied to a corrected base. Following discussion, a committee member moved to table the supervisor of assessors' item to next month to allow time for more complete personnel and benefit figures; the motion carried.

Committee members asked for more concrete health-insurance numbers before finalizing levy decisions; the chair noted the board must act on the levy in the next month. The committee also tabled GIS-related supplemental requests to the next meeting to permit further review.

Ending: The committee agreed to revisit the tabled items at the next scheduled meeting, citing outstanding insurance figures and the need to determine levy strategy.