Clay County adopts 2026 budget and sets final levy at 4.35%

County administration presented the final 2026 budget and requested motions to adopt the budget and set the levy. Steve (county administration) summarized a months‑long budget process that included department reviews and outreach to non‑county levy entities. The board had initially discussed higher preliminary figures earlier in the year and worked through multiple scenarios to reduce the final levy.

After discussion, the board approved the county’s full 2026 budget of $128,981,062 in the first motion and then adopted the final levy with a 4.35 percent increase. The staff framed the result as materially lower than some neighboring counties’ increases and slightly lower than last year’s preliminary figure.

Commissioners praised staff for repeated meetings with department heads to trim requests and stressed that further reductions would have required cutting services. The budget and levy votes were recorded; the full budget motion passed on a roll‑call vote with commissioners voting aye and the levy adoption carried as moved and seconded.