Budget committee warns of $3 million shortfall; staff urge caution on reclassifications

The Davis County budget committee on June 9 told commissioners the county still faces a $3,000,000 shortfall after earlier reductions and urged restraint on new compensation changes while cuts continue.

"The county is still short $3,000,000," the committee lead said, describing earlier reductions that halved a $6,000,000 gap and warning that regrading a single position could effectively create a 10–11% pay increase for that employee at a time when reductions may still be needed. He added the reclassification would cost an additional $8,300 this year.

The committee discussed several targeted adjustments to narrow the gap. County Clerk Brian McKenzie said a state grant opportunity and existing clerk funds could cover most of a roughly $130,000 purchase for a new ballot-counting scanner (an upgrade he described as moving from an ADS-450 to an ADS-950). "It allows us to count our ballots more quickly," McKenzie said, and the purchase would produce about $740 a year in operational savings once in service, with the goal of deployment before the November election.

Committee members also flagged a $123,000 revenue increase tied to petition processing performed under contract with the Lieutenant Governor's office; staff said about 20–23% of the reimbursement would otherwise have been a county expense, so the payment produces a modest net benefit to the general fund.

Other recommended adjustments the committee previewed for a public hearing include: moving a property-management position’s funding into the facilities fund and providing $18,000 for remodel work (to fund half a year of salary), spending roughly $60,000 in insurance proceeds from a golf-course fire to replace damaged property, and an accounting reclassification that will move workers’ compensation revenue and expense entries into the insurance fund without drawing on fund balance.

The committee also discovered an omission in the adopted 2026 budget: revenues for inmate services had been entered but corresponding expenses were not. Staff said they would restore the matching expense entries to accurately reflect the program’s finances.

The lead said the committee plans to put the package of technical corrections and the proposed changes on an upcoming commission agenda and hold a public hearing to adopt them. Commissioners said they supported bringing the items forward but repeatedly emphasized fiscal caution and consistency in applying merit and reclassification decisions while the county remains short of its budget target.

The committee had earlier convened a closed session under state law to discuss personnel matters and then returned to the public meeting for the budget review.

The commission did not take a formal roll-call vote on the budget items during the work session; staff will present formal ordinance or resolution language and the recommended motions at the public meeting for action.