Grant County commissioners on Oct. 8 approved a set of 2026 budget adjustments that included a countywide pause on general raises, a $1,000 one-time supplement for highway department employees, and multiple fund- and position-level changes, while denying several staffing requests and an overtime appropriation increase.

The action package — presented as a group of roughly 22 outstanding budget items — bundled decisions on personnel, fund appropriations and facility repairs. The commission voted by voice on each item; the meeting record shows motions, seconds and voice approvals for the measures described below.

Why it matters: The package shapes pay and staffing for multiple county departments for fiscal 2026, preserves the county’s current CCD (Cumulative Capital Development) tax rate, and signals caution on adding ongoing personnel costs while commissioners weigh larger capital-financing options such as a debt issuance.

Key outcomes and context

- Pay and raises: The commission approved a motion, moved by Mister McCord and seconded by Mister Higgs, to withhold general 2026 raises for county employees except where required by state rules or existing schedules. The same motion provided a $1,000 across-the-board supplement for employees of the highway department; the motion explicitly excluded members of the sheriff’s union and preserved state-mandated schedule increases for certain positions. The motion carried by voice vote.

- Central Dispatch: Commissioners kept the general-fund appropriation for central dispatch at $511,000 and voted not to add the two requested full-time dispatcher positions. Kevin Nixon, identified in the meeting as dispatch director, urged the board to add two seats, saying the extra staff would "make the dispatch roll a lot better, a lot more efficient" and allow him to "guarantee 4 dispatchers in there at all times, instead of just 3." The commission declined the staffing increase but retained the current appropriation.

- Clerk/perpetuation fund: The commission approved increasing the Clerk Perpetuation Fund appropriation for a part-time position to $8,008, with the hourly pay rate unchanged. The motion, moved by Mister McCord and seconded by Mister Scott, carried by voice vote.

- Denials of new positions and appropriation increases: The board denied a request to add a second part-time reassessment position (a requested additional appropriation of $19,240), and denied a request from the recorder to increase the part-time appropriation to expand weekly hours. The commission also denied a public-defender request for a full- or part-time secretary position and rejected a request considered for an EMS overtime appropriation increase (the commissioners cited insufficient information for that latter request). Those denials were carried by voice vote.

- Health fund and other personnel moves: The commission approved four items tied to the county health fund that reflected funding shifts and position changes resulting from state grant changes. As described in the hearing, some staff who had been county-funded previously under state programs are being shifted back to county funding and in one case a nurse-health-educator role will be budgeted as part time, not full time.

- Highway and dispatch longevity calculation: The board approved changing the highway fund’s longevity base year calculation to 2025 and extended that same longevity calculation to central dispatch; commissioners noted this cost is drawn from the highway fund, not the general fund.

- Facilities and capital: Commissioners approved two appropriations for building and repair accounts — $400,000 and $100,000 — to address maintenance and smaller projects. Discussion at the meeting also considered a larger approach: several commissioners and staff said a bond or debt issuance (a debt-service levy) could be more efficient than piecemeal CCD increases, and they directed staff to investigate the feasibility and costs of bundling facility projects into a financed package.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in the meeting transcript)

- No general raises for 2026 except state-mandated; $1,000 supplement for highway department; exclude sheriff’s union. Mover: Mister McCord. Second: Mister Higgs. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Increase Clerk Perpetuation Fund appropriation for a part-time position to $8,008 (hourly rate unchanged). Mover: Mister McCord. Second: Mister Scott. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Deny request to add a second part-time reassessment position (additional appropriation $19,240). Mover: Mister McCord. Second: Mister Higgs. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Deny recorder’s request to increase part-time appropriation/hours. Mover: Mister McWard. Second: Mister Puddell. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Hold Central Dispatch general-fund appropriation at $511,000; do not add two dispatchers. Mover: Mister Rickard. Second: Mister Scott. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Approve commissioners’ repair/building appropriations: $400,000 and $100,000. Mover: Mister McCourt. Second: Mister Scott. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Leave Cumulative Capital Development (CCD) fund tax rate unchanged for now; explore bond/debt alternatives. Mover: Mister McCord. Second: Mister Scott. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Approve four health-fund related staffing/appropriation requests due to funding shifts. Mover: Mister McPorter. Second: Mister Scott. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Change longevity base year to 2025 for highway fund calculations and include dispatch. Mover: Mister White. Second: Mister McQuarrie. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Officially eliminate one public-defender position (reflects prior staffing adjustments). Mover: Mister McWard. Second: Mister Brinkley. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Deny public defender’s request for a full-time or part-time secretary (40% reimbursement noted in discussion). Mover: Mister McQuirk. Second: Mister Caudill. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Increase EMS budgeted hours from 70 to 75 per pay period (to better reflect hours worked). Mover: Mister McCord. Second: Mister Scott. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Deny a separate EMS overtime appropriation increase for lack of detail; staff may return with substantiation if needed. Mover: Mister McCorrie. Second: Mister Linn. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

- Approve auditor salary-split adjustments to charge three positions to the plat book fund as reviewed. Mover: Mister McCourt. Second: Mister Scott. Outcome: approved (voice vote).

Discussion highlights and clarifications

- Central Dispatch staffing: Kevin Nixon, dispatch director, described current staffing and recruiting efforts, noting three current vacancies, two conditional hires awaiting testing results, and a desire to raise minimum shift staffing from three to four. He said adding two positions would "make the dispatch roll a lot better, a lot more efficient" and allow the center to guarantee four dispatchers on duty at all times.

- Capital strategy: Commissioners discussed the limits of incremental CCD-rate increases to fund a multi-million dollar list of facility needs. Several members suggested investigating a bond or debt-service levy for larger projects, which could reduce long-term costs and allow projects to be completed sooner rather than piecemeal.

- Personnel funding source limits: Commissioners repeatedly noted whether costs fall to general fund, highway fund, health fund or other restricted funds. Several approvals (highway supplement, longevity base-year change) were explicitly tied to the highway fund rather than the general fund; health-fund personnel moves reflected the end of certain state-funded positions and the county absorbing those roles at part-time levels.

What the meeting did not do

- The commission did not adopt a higher CCD tax rate and deferred any decision on a consolidated bonding plan pending staff analysis.

- Commissioners did not approve the two additional dispatcher positions requested; the dispatch director was asked to continue hiring against the currently budgeted positions.

Next steps

- Staff were directed to compile additional detail where commissioners asked for follow-up (for example, a clearer justification for the EMS overtime appropriation request) and to prepare a financing analysis if commissioners wish to pursue a bonds/debt-service approach for facilities. The commission indicated it will revisit remaining items at its Oct. 15 and Nov. 14 meetings.

Ending

The meeting concluded after the commission closed the budget package for formal adoption at the next scheduled session; a separate meeting on a potential jail project was scheduled for Oct. 14.