Commissioner Barrick pushes for line-by-line cuts and a staff-backed follow-up

Commissioner Janet Barrick pressed the board to take more aggressive action at the preliminary hearing, arguing that commissioners should not wait until September to identify cuts. She said she had reviewed the 645-page budget book and had specific suggestions—ranging from moving community centers into Parks & Recreation to trimming board meals and travel allocations.

"We need to cut where we've got too much here, too much there," Barrick said, urging staff to produce page-and-line citations for proposed reductions so the board could evaluate them ahead of the tentative hearing. Several commissioners and staff supported creating a consolidated list: one commissioner suggested Barrick submit her cuts and staff work with each department to verify feasibility. Staff said they would set aside time to help prepare the requested documentation and that they would continue refining the draft through the adoption process.