The Dunn County Committee on Administration reviewed and approved departmental budget submissions for 2026 at its Aug. 14 meeting, accepting department work sheets and directing staff to proceed with consolidation steps toward the formal levy and overall county budget.

Department heads presented budgets that in many cases did not balance at the department level because some levy allocations and wage variance treatment are applied later in the consolidation process. County staff explained items highlighted in yellow on the working sheets are editable by department heads and that additional levy allocations and budget amendments will be handled in subsequent steps during this budget cycle.

Nut graf: The committee’s action approves departmental budget worksheets (the operational inputs) rather than a final adopted county budget or levy; board decisions on levy distribution and pay plan items will still be required to finalize the adopted budget.

Members pressed staff on details: one supervisor asked why general property tax shown in the general fund line looked smaller in 2026; staff explained that prior wage variance entries were included in 2025 figures and that the 2026 line reflected levy without the wage variance, which can make year‑to‑year comparisons deceptive. Committee members also asked about mid‑year budget adjustments for grants and the process for amendments after a department receives grant awards.

The committee approved the departmental budgets by motion; members noted further amendments will be made as grants, wage plan changes and levy allocations are finalized.

Ending: Staff will continue consolidation, model levy scenarios for board consideration, and return final budget documents for board adoption later in the calendar and fiscal cycle.