County to fold Health & Human Services fiscal staff into Finance; transition raises staffing and benefit costs

Finance Director Gary Nunn told the committee that staff from Health & Human Services have transitioned into the Finance Department and that the move is driving increases in wages and benefits for the 2027 proposed budget. "Carol and Wendy have moved over from Health and Human Services over to the finance department as of Tuesday," Nunn said, and he added that the transfer explains a portion of the budgetary increases shown in the finance lines.

Nunn said the transition included elimination or reorganization of several positions — committee discussion referenced roughly 3 to 3.5 full-time equivalent positions being adjusted — and that some positions remain grant-funded or covered through billing, which the department will review as they meet with Health & Human Services leadership. Committee members asked whether the Health & Human Services budget would show a decrease; staff said that will be examined further when they review that department's line items.