Delaware County Council members approved the county’s 2026 budget, an airport appropriation and a package of transfers and appropriations during their final budget hearing, and adopted changes to the county’s rainy‑day ordinance on second reading.

The council voted to approve the airport appropriation (listed in the record as 2025‑017) after a motion by Council member Jessica (mover) and a second by Council member Dan (seconder). A separate motion by Jessica, seconded by Dan, approved the county budget (recorded as 2025‑016). Roll calls recorded unanimous affirmative votes on both measures.

Why it matters: the votes finalize spending levels and internal transfers that will guide county operations for the coming fiscal year and clarify how the county may use reserve (rainy‑day) funds going forward.

Council approved multiple line‑item transfers and appropriations during the hearing. Highlights included moving $8,425 into equipment to cover a juvenile‑court grommet and a micro PC (the micro PC was quoted at $730 but the department added contingency), and removing $8,200 previously budgeted for jury chairs after receiving a quote of $7,278.60. The motor‑vehicle/highway fund moved $88,219 from health insurance into vehicle purchases to support truck leases after the state reduced anticipated local roads funding. The council approved $60,000 for a final radio console as part of a multiyear upgrade to the emergency communications center; a $31,500 drug‑free community fund to be distributed during Red Ribbon Week; and a $10,000 EMS capital outlay to cover interim utilities.

The council also approved a motion to enact financial transfers and to amend the salary ordinance to reflect reductions discussed during budget hearings; that motion passed on roll call.

On an ordinance brought forward from committee, the council approved second reading of Ordinance 2025‑14 as amended. The approved amendments (read into the record) strike subsections that had given the finance committee authority to effectively deny certain requests; they also revise section 4 to (a) allow maintenance, construction or emergency repairs for county facilities, (b) simplify the purchase authorization for computer hardware or software, and (c) permit supplementing county general fund amounts to cover shortfalls. Paragraph 5 subsections b and d were stricken in their entirety. The amended ordinance passed by roll call vote.

Council members received several reports and updates. Kylene Swackhammer, listed in the meeting as representing county land administration, said the Delaware County ADA transition plan is complete and posted on the county website; American Structurepoint prepared the plan, eight county facilities were assessed (county building, justice center, emergency communications center, EMS Station No. 3, county highway department, county health department, the new mental‑health facility and the fairgrounds), and cost estimates and a 10‑year priority schedule are included. Swackhammer said grants from the Community Foundation and the Ball Brothers Foundation helped fund the plan and that the county will seek 80% reimbursement through the plan commission office. "The Delaware County ADA transition plan is complete," she told the council.

Captain Tony Johnson of the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office updated the council on the CHIRP highway‑safety grant. "Earlier this year, we were approved on that grant for the fiscal year ’26 in the amount of $124,200," Johnson said; the council was told that the grant will be included in next year’s appropriations from the OPO juvenile grant account.

The council also discussed a small dormant inheritance fund (Fund 7202) containing $6,258.94 as of August. The auditor’s office reported no expected additional receipts for that fund and recommended closing it and transferring the balance to the rainy‑day fund; council members said they would place a transfer on a future agenda and consider a resolution or ordinance to formalize the change.

During public comment, a local author and journalist identified in the record as Rick raised transparency and tax questions and asked about the prospect of tax increases next year. He told the council he had reviewed county records and sought more public disclosure about expected taxes. "People want to know whether they’re going to raise taxes next year," he said.

Several council members raised concerns about the county’s tax‑cap loss and levy calculations. A council member summarized an internal review showing the county’s tax‑cap loss increased and said the change effectively consumed an anticipated 4% levy increase, reducing revenue available for raises and capital projects. Members suggested contacting state legislators to request review of the tax‑cap methodology.

The council received the backfilling report (personnel replacement summary) after questions about part‑time entries on the report; members asked that future backfilling reports omit routine part‑time hires that do not require council approval. The council voted to "receive" the backfilling report.

Votes at a glance:
- Airport appropriation (2025‑017): motion by Jessica; second by Dan; outcome: approved (roll call affirmative). Note in the record: numbering was clarified during the meeting.
- County budget (2025‑016): motion by Jessica; second by Dan; outcome: approved (roll call affirmative).
- Transfers and appropriations (multiple line items described above): motion to approve by Jessica; second by Dan; outcome: approved (roll call affirmative).
- Ordinance 2025‑14 (second reading, as amended): motion to approve as amended by council; outcome: approved (roll call affirmative).
- Resolution 2025‑15 (reduction of funds resolution): motion by Jessica; second by Dan; outcome: approved (roll call affirmative).
- Motion to receive the backfilling report: motion by Dan; second by Matt; outcome: approved (roll call affirmative).

What’s next: departments will implement approved transfers and updated payroll/salary language. The CHIRP grant appropriation will be placed on a future agenda for formal appropriation to the sheriff’s OPO juvenile grant account. The auditor and council staff will prepare a transfer or resolution to move the dormant inheritance fund balance into the rainy‑day fund for consideration at a future meeting. Council members also indicated intent to engage state legislators about tax‑cap effects on county revenues.

(Reporting note: all motions, roll calls and dollar amounts are taken from the meeting record; where the transcript contained stilted phrasing or abbreviated identifiers, the article uses clarifying language consistent with the record.)