County holds public hearing and approves 2026 budgets and levies for solid waste and multiple fire districts

County meeting members on the record approved proposed 2026 budgets, levies and tax rates for the Solid Waste District, Hance Lake Conservancy District and a series of local fire protection districts after a public hearing on binding units for the 2026 budget. The approvals were made by motion and voice vote during the hearing, which included presentations from district financial advisers and chiefs.

The hearing matters because the approved budgets and levies set the 2026 tax rates and determine funding for local emergency services, debt payments and solid-waste operations. Several speakers described how assessed-value growth and one-time purchases affected tax rates and cash balances.

Jeff Peters, financial adviser for the Solid Waste District, told meeting members the district's assessed value increased about 12.3%, "far outpacing the 4% growth in the max levy," and that, as a result, the district's tax rate is expected to fall "from 0.0084 to 0.0075." Peters said the district's 2026 budget projects expenditures will outpace revenue by about $175,000 and attributed roughly $50,000 of that gap to increased homestead credits and circuit-breaker changes from Senate Bill 1. He said the Solid Waste District is expected to retain a cash balance of about $1,100,000 to absorb the shortfall.

Meeting members moved and approved the Solid Waste District budget and levies as read. The motion recorded in the transcript read: "Move to approve the solid waste, general fund debt service budget as requested at 1,105,987, the general fund and debt service levy at 999,289, and the general fund debt service tax rate at 0.0075," and passed on a voice vote.

Other units presented short summaries and were approved by motion and voice vote with limited discussion. Highlights included: - Hance Lake Conservancy District: meeting members approved the district's budget, levy and tax rate as presented; the motion read the general fund budget at 15,650, the levy at 12,900 and the tax rate at 0.1413, and passed on a voice vote. - Amity Fire Protection District: Chief Heath Brandt said the district had no new requests for 2026 and was still working to repair a cracked tank. Meeting members approved the district's budgets and levies by motion and voice vote; the motion as read included a tax rate of 0.1038. - Hensley Fire Protection District: Jeff Peters noted assessed-value growth of about 14.89% in the district and that the final year of a fire station debt levy is 2026; he said the district ordered a fire truck with a three-year lead time and that new debt would be requested in 2026 for placement on the 2027 tax roll. The council approved the budgets and levies; the motion as read included a combined budget figure and a tax rate of 0.1438. - Needham Fire Protection District: Peters said assessed-value growth was about 4.55%, projecting a slight rate drop to 0.14, and that the district's budget would consume about $192,000 of cash but leave roughly $1.5 million at the start of 2026. The council approved the proposed budgets and levies by motion and voice vote. - Nineveh Fire Protection District: Chief Joshua Snyder asked for a full-percentage increase. Staff noted the property tax levy filed at 4.07% exceeded the statutory 4% maximum for 2026 and recommended approval with the understanding the Department of Local Government Finance could reduce the certified rate to 4%. Meeting members approved the district's submission and acknowledged the possible DLGF adjustment. - Bartersville Fire Protection (listed in county paperwork): representatives said they submitted a three-year growth appeal for the general fund (the last year allowed) because assessed value rose by slightly more than 13%; they advertised a higher debt levy pending an expected new debt issuance and said final amortization and tax-impact numbers will be provided by October. Meeting members approved the proposed budgets and levies as submitted. - White River Township Fire Department: Chief Jeremy Bell said the district proposed a balanced 2026 budget that maintains current staffing and service levels, and highlighted interagency work and the department's mobile integrated health program. "We're getting to the heart of people's chronic health conditions," Bell said, adding the program improves quality of life and reduces demand on emergency responders. Meeting members approved the proposed budget and levy; the motion was later amended during the meeting to correct the tax-rate figure before final approval.

Discussion versus formal action: most exchanges were brief clarifications by staff or chiefs about assessed value, one-time purchases or timing for debt issuances. Several items included implementation notes: Hensley will return in 2026 seeking authority to issue debt for a fire truck to appear on the 2027 tax roll; Bartersville representatives said they will return in October with final amortization and tax-impact figures; Nineveh's approved filing may be reduced to meet the 4% statutory limit by the state agency (DLGF). Formal actions were motions to approve each unit's budget and levy; each motion passed on a voice vote.

The hearing closed after the voice votes and the meeting moved on to the second reading of other agenda items.

Ending: The approved submissions will be forwarded for certification under the state's local government review process; several districts said they will return with final debt-amortization figures or additional requests before final adoption in October or to place new debt on future tax rolls.