Beaufort County presents balanced draft budget with $181.9 million general fund, moves garage to internal service fund

Beaufort County staff presented a draft fiscal year 2026 budget at the council's budget workshop, showing a projected general fund of approximately $181,907,989 and a higher estimated mill value.

County budget presenter Harriet said the presentation covered general fund changes, personnel requests, vehicle and equipment needs, and capital improvement projects. She told the council that the county had incorporated a 3% cost-of-living adjustment into salary line items and that the solid waste department would move back into the general fund while the county garage would move out to an internal service fund to generate revenue through charging other public entities.

Harriet said the estimated value of a mill for FY26 is $2,900,000, up from $2,700,000 in the prior year's estimate. She reported that estimated tax revenue for the general fund would increase by about $11.6 million. Fiscal year 2025 adopted budget after a fleet-related fund-balance amendment was about $160,170,215; the FY26 projected general fund figure presented to…