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Boone County Health Department proposes balanced FY2026 budget with no levy increase
Summary
The Boone County Health Department presented a balanced FY2026 budget proposal with no request for additional property tax levy, highlighted grant reliance, seasonal revenue fluctuations, and cost increases in health insurance and leased space.
The Boone County Health Department presented its proposed FY2026 budget to the committee, saying the plan is balanced and requests no increase to the county tax levy.
Amanda Mayo, presenting for the department, described four main revenue streams: fees for services, grants, interest, and two tax levies. She emphasized the department’s heavy reliance on state and federal grants and said that grants often reimburse the county after expenditures, requiring the department to maintain an operating buffer of approximately $350,000–$500,000 to cover program costs pending reimbursement.
Key figures and drivers: The department reported a 12% proposed revenue increase overall and noted specific line‑item shifts: a 70% decrease in miscellaneous health fund grant expectations, a 40% drop in the Basic Health grant (state cut), and a large percent increase in a hearing and vision line item driven by resumption of services. On expenditures, the Board of Health recommended a 3% across‑the‑board cost‑of‑living increase for staff; the department noted fluctuations in staff wages depending on certifications and recruitments. Health insurance costs were cited as a major upward driver.
Program details and operating notes: Amanda Mayo explained that the department runs programs with different fiscal cycles and must often manage multiple overlapping fiscal years. She described how seasonal activity — for example restaurant permit season and vaccine bulk purchases before flu season — causes revenue and expenditure timing variations. The presentation also described increased outreach and advertising funded by grants, including radio outreach targeted to Hispanic residents using a regional station (La Bamba) at roughly $1,500–$2,000 per two‑week run for certain campaigns.
Questions and clarifications: Board members asked about the advertising strategy and the department explained that radio is an effective outreach channel for targeted Hispanic outreach. Members also asked whether new staff were proposed (none in the base budget) and about travel and dues increases; Mayo said travel is grant‑driven for conferences and fieldwork and that professional association dues had increased across public health organizations.
Ending: The presentation closed with staff offering to take follow‑up questions; no committee vote was taken on the department budget at this meeting.
