Albany County approves 2026–27 budget, moves $721,244 to new facility reserve; road‑fund amendment and victim‑services contract also approved

The Albany County Commissioners on June 30 approved the fiscal year 2026–27 county budget, including a recommended transfer of $721,244 to a new facility reserve for future capital outlay, and carried separate motions to amend the county road fund and to accept a victims‑services contract for the coming year.

A county budget presenter summarized changes made since the budget was published, saying the county’s general‑fund cash‑on‑hand estimate rose to about $3.583 million and that the transfer needed from the salary reserve to cover raises and benefits dropped from $795,258 to $185,773. “What I handed out to you are changes that are made since the last time we met and since the budget was published as well. I won’t go into great detail… but I’d be happy to answer any questions,” the presenter said.

The presenter told commissioners the county’s direct‑aid fund ended the fiscal year with roughly $277,325 in cash on hand and that the IT fund had an adjusted balance of about $436,000. Staff also noted a building‑contingency purchase of automated external defibrillators for $29,381 and the removal of one expense previously budgeted to impact assistance because it was paid in the current fiscal year. A small increase to the county’s extension contract with “UDub” was noted as $829.

On personnel costs, the presenter said the budget includes raises the commission approved: law enforcement positions at 15%, road and bridge at 15%, and regular employees and department heads at 5%. Staff confirmed a portion of the increases will be covered by an adjustment to retirement and fringe‑benefit transfers.

Commissioners debated how to hold the $721,244 recommended for a new county facility. A commissioner asked whether the money would be moved from general cash on hand; staff clarified the amount would be transferred into a “new facility reserve” account and could be invested or moved by future commission resolution depending on the timeline for the project. One commissioner noted the money is likely one to five years out and suggested laddering investments to preserve liquidity and earn interest.

Votes at a glance

- Contract for victim services (FY2026–27): Motion to approve the contract between the Wyoming Office of the Attorney General, Division of Victim Services, and Albany County Commissioners for the term July 1, 2026–June 30, 2027; motion seconded and carried. (See meeting materials for the contract amount as recorded in the meeting packet.)

- Resolution 2026‑014: Approved. The resolution transfers unexpended appropriation balances and amends the FY2025–26 appropriations for Albany County; staff explained the county road fund required an approximate $1.8 million amendment to cover a chip‑seal project after originally appropriating roughly $300,000.

- Budget adoption (FY2026–27): Approved. Motion to adopt the FY2026–27 Albany County budget with the $721,244 recommended transfer to the new facility reserve was seconded and carried.

Why it matters

The adopted budget sets salary increases countywide and establishes how one‑time and restricted balances will be used or reserved (for example, the new facility reserve). The road‑fund amendment ensures an identified county road project can be paid without drawing on the general fund, and the victim‑services contract secures funding for positions that support crime victims during the coming fiscal year.

What’s next

The commission approved the measures by motion. The new facility reserve transfer will be placed into the reserve account and can be moved into investments or the general fund later by future commission action if a timeline for the new facility is established.