Budget office: change memo raises projected ending balance to $236.2M, reallocates post‑ARPA positions

Budget and finance director Tanya Gaethon presented the change memorandum to the Commissioners Court and said it would produce a modest improvement to the county’s projected general‑fund ending balance.

Gaethon cited an August proposed ending balance of $234,400,000 and said the change memo makes net estimate adjustments of about $203,000, bringing the revised ending balance to approximately $236,200,000. The memo includes both position deletions and re‑allocations: Gaethon said the work reallocates or removes $5,908,139 in post‑ARPA funding and retains certain post‑ARPA roles effective Jan. 1, 2027.

Line‑item examples provided by Gaethon included copier and vehicle maintenance increases for constable offices, a $43,005.58 decrease to the county auditor to match an approved order, and position changes across the criminal district attorney’s office, district clerk and criminal district courts. Gaethon also noted transfers from contingency for managed assigned counsel positions ($1,206,317) and a variety of contingency increases for contracts, fixed‑asset software and voter‑notice mailings.