Barren County Fiscal Court adopts $10.7 million 2026–27 budget

The Barren County Fiscal Court on Friday completed a special-called second reading and adopted the 2026–2027 annual budget and appropriation, which the court said totals $10.7 million.

The meeting was convened to satisfy a seven-day advertisement requirement after the budget returned from Frankfort, the presiding officer said. ‘‘This meeting is a normal meeting. It is just a special called meeting because we need to do the second reading of the budget,’’ the presiding officer said.

A member identifying himself as chairman of the administrative budget committee said the committee reviewed the plan and endorsed it, noting the proposed $10.7 million figure is below the roughly $10.8 million the county spent in the 2022 budget year. ‘‘The budget that we are submitting is 10.7 million dollars, which is not only less than what was spent in the year 2022,’’ the budget committee chairman said.

He said the committee worked to remove expenses where possible to keep the budget level despite rising costs and referenced roughly 13.6% inflation over the prior four years as context for the committee’s decisions.

After discussion, the court held a roll-call vote. Magistrates Jeff Botts, Pettigrew, Tim Durham, Comer, Marty Kinslow, Simpson and Brad Gross voted yes and the budget was approved.

The court also noted the county’s next regular fiscal court meeting is scheduled for July 7, 2026. No further procedural actions on the budget were recorded at the meeting.