Tooele County council sets expectations and calendar for 2026 budget review

Tooele County staff presented a 2026 budget calendar and planning expectations on Aug. 19 and council members used the discussion to set timing and content expectations for departmental budget submissions. County budget staff told the council departments should complete draft materials by Sept. 5, with the manager’s office finishing its work by Sept. 26; the council’s tentative budget review was set for the Oct. 21 meeting, a final review for Nov. 18 and adoption aimed for Dec. 2. “I have asked the departments to have that completed by September 5,” the presenter said. Council members asked for several procedural changes to make review more productive: provide department draft budgets to council members two to four weeks before presentations to allow review; supply midyear revenue forecasts and fund‑balance information early in September so the council can assess capacity for COLA, merit increases and potential new positions; and require each department’s capital improvement plan (CIP) submissions to include a ranked order of project priorities. Council members also requested personnel request details by Sept. 16, listing which departments will request new full‑time equivalents (FTEs), the number and the rationale, presented in priority order. Councilman Stromberg asked for “revenue forecast, understand where our fund balances are at the 2024 and where we may be resting today” to be available in September to inform decisions on merit, COLA and hiring. Staff emphasized there will be online access to department working documents in real time and said departments should be available to answer council questions; the manager’s office will coordinate technical questions. Manager Andy Welch and budget staff said they will not hold the traditional in‑person department budget presentations this cycle, a change some council members said they would like to discuss further to preserve transparency. No budget adoption occurred Aug. 19; dates and the procedural expectations were set to guide the upcoming review and public hearings.