Yakima County Board of Commissioners on Sept. 30, 2025, received a budget presentation from Brian Carlson, the county's financial services director, who said the county currently projects a beginning fund balance of about $15 million and a net general fund position around $8 million, leaving an estimated $10 million in available fund balance after transfers and adjustments.

Carlson framed the exercise as a short-term posture on the way to a longer-term strategy, saying the current numbers are "good numbers" while cautioning the projection includes a margin of error he described as "might be 7 figures." Carlson told commissioners the Department of Corrections (DOC) is driving a large transfer need, saying the DOC transfer figure is projected "north of $20 million," and that historically the DOC transfer had been closer to $15 million but personnel and insurance costs have pushed it higher.

Why it matters: commissioners must adopt a 2026 budget that complies with statutory timelines; Carlson urged finishing the short-term work and then pivoting to a "long game" of financial policies, strategic planning and periodic budget revisions to manage structural pressures, including jail-related costs.

Key figures Carlson presented included a $15 million beginning fund balance, about $8 million in general fund net, a $3 million interest sweep, and $5 million in transfers from technology services and human resources that together were portrayed as producing an illustrative $10 million ending margin. Carlson estimated he could find roughly $500,000 to $1 million by trimming routinely overbudgeted line items (for example, travel), and said he would make a final pass to capture any over‑budgeting before adoption.

Carlson recommended concluding the county's "short game" of budget adjustments soon, holding only three remaining deep review sessions (the capital improvements program meetings for the engineer, public services and facilities), then shifting to development of formal financial policies, a strategic plan and ongoing checkpoints — potentially quarterly — to revise the 2026 budget as operational needs emerge. "I don't think of a budget adoption as the last word," Carlson said.

Commissioners pressed for department-level detail before final adoption. Commissioner Lindy asked for department-by-department figures (staffing and cost implications) and said receiving the detailed numbers electronically would be acceptable. Carlson said he would provide condensed pivot-table views and follow up with additional detail to answer those requests.

DOC and jail costs: Commissioner McKinney raised concerns specific to the jail and the DOC relationship, saying the county should "be realistic about where we're losing the most money" and that the county must plan to "stop the bleeding" from jail-related expenditures. McKinney suggested exploring contract and placement options with corporate counsel if local jail capacity or costs become unsustainable.

Timing and next steps: Carlson said the county will hold a public hearing consistent with statutory deadlines in the third week of November and plans to adopt the budget on the first Monday in December. He listed near-term meetings: a deferred-maintenance/new revenues discussion focused on the jail later in the week, a human services review of mental-health sales tax awards the following Monday, additional weekly agenda meetings, and a comprehensive CIP review tentatively set for the 14th (for Rhodes CIP and related staffing and six‑year CIP items).

Votes at a glance: The board approved the consent agenda as read into the record (motion by Commissioner Lindy; second by Commissioner McKinney). The board voted "Aye" twice and the motion carried (2-0; Commissioner Curtis was excused). Items included on the consent agenda were read into the record and approved together: auditor GRAMA/agreement 2782025 (ballot sorter update with Bluecrest Reliant); County Roads Resolution 236.2025 (vacating an unopened right of way in Township 14 North, Range 18); Resolution 237.2025 (award to Liberty Northwest Construction for South Fork Tiaton River Fish Passage Project); Agreement 272.2025 amendment 1 (Woodland Resource Services Inc. — herbicide unit-price increases); DOC agreement 273.2025 amendment 1 (Wellpath LLC — job title modification); Facility Services Agreement 02/2025 (Boar Architecture — data center relocation); Public Services Resolution 02/2025 (accepting contract C12244P as complete for nitrate reverse osmosis units for the Guama project); Resolution 239.2025 (setting a closed-record hearing date for a hearing examiner recommendation on Yakima Ridge phases 4–13); Agreement 02/2025 (Affordable Washington Backflow LLC — backflow inspection/testing); Agreement 276.2025 amendment 2 (Bureau of Reclamation — South Fork Tiaton Bridge and Fish Passage project); Technology Services Agreement 02/2025 (e3 Solutions Inc. — card readers for Superior Court). Where the transcript did not specify additional detail (for example exact dollar amounts, full contract language), the item is recorded here as read into the record.

Meeting conduct and logistics: The board clerk, Julie Lawrence, read the consent agenda into the record. Corporate counsel Dan Clark joined the meeting after it began. The board noted meetings are public, recorded, and that translation services are available by request.

Ending: The board adjourned after the scheduled business; a motion to adjourn by Commissioner Lindy was seconded and approved unanimously by those present.