Monongalia County Commission adopts FY2026 budget amid revenue drop; multiple routine actions approved

Monongalia County Commission approved a $43,675,929 fiscal year 2026 budget Wednesday and submitted it to the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office for review.

The adopted budget, which commissioners said is predicated on the same levy rate as the current year — 11 cents per $100 of assessed valuation — reflects a sustained decline in property valuations. A county official reported an 18.95% drop in Class 3 property valuations tied to how the state values oil and gas property, producing an overall 6.72% decline across property classes and an approximate $2.5 million reduction in property tax revenue compared with the current year.

County officials said the FY2026 total represents a 7.1% decrease from the current-year budget and cuts roughly $3.38 million from spending while retaining funding for constitutional offices and planned pay increases for eligible employees.

County administrators and commissioners described the budget as conservative but manageable. The plan keeps constitutional offices funded at a higher level than the prior year, makes targeted personal-service and contracted-services adjustments and includes a carryover assumption of $11.5 million for projects and programs not expected to be expensed in FY2025. Commissioners said the budget also contains a contingency reserve intended to remain robust amid uncertainty over health-insurance premium increases and the scheduled expiration of some federal COVID-related funds.

A motion to approve the budget carried by voice vote. Commissioners did not record individual roll-call votes in the public minutes; the meeting began with all three county commissioners present.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of Monongalia County Fiscal Year 2026 budget — Motion to approve the budget as presented and submit to the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office; mover and seconder not specified in the transcript; vote: approved by voice vote (ayes recorded). Note: budget total $43,675,929; carryover $11,500,000; levy rate proposed at 11¢ per $100 valuation; outcome: approved.

- Administrative closure of stagnant estates — Motion to approve administrative closure of listed estates as presented; mover/second not specified; outcome: approved.

- Personnel approvals — Multiple personnel items approved, including new superintendent at Kent Muffley Park (Aaron Hall, salary $35,000), office manager at the extension office (Sarah Ejetti), seasonal circuit clerk employee (Josie Mayrose Dalton), and two youth crisis workers moved from part time to full time (Mackenzie Hickey and Malcolm Caldwell). Motions and seconds recorded generically; outcomes: approved.

- Community Corrections Grant application — Approval to sign and submit grant application and an MOU with the local community criminal justice board for $228,992; mover/second not specified; outcome: approved.

- Requisition No. 37, Series 2021B Harmony Grove Phase 1 project fund — Approve payment of $30,000 to Adrian Enterprises; outcome: approved.

- Donation of generator to City of Westover — Approval to donate an older generator formerly used at the Catherine’s Knob 911 tower site; outcome: approved.

- Engagement of Steptoe & Johnson LLP — Approval to engage Steptoe and Johnson to represent the commission in litigation regarding provisions of the West Virginia Tax Increment Financing Act and authorization for the commission president to execute an engagement letter; outcome: approved.

Why it matters

County leaders said the budget was more difficult this year because of valuation changes tied to oil and gas property assessments that reduced property-tax revenue. Commissioners emphasized efforts to preserve funding for social services, community health and constitutional offices while budgeting conservatively for rising health-insurance costs and the phaseout of certain federal funds.

Additional details and context

- The proposed FY2026 budget totals $43,675,929, down about $3.38 million (7.1%) from the current year. The county said the valuation decreases accounted for an approximate $2.5 million decrease in property-tax revenue.

- Major spending categories described in the presentation: general government approximately 55% of the budget; public safety about 33.4%; culture and recreation about 4.8%; health and sanitation about 2.15%; social services about 1.6%; capital projects about 3%.

- The budget includes an assumed carryover of approximately $11.5 million, of which the county said roughly $3.2 million is contingency without a currently planned purpose.

- Commissioners said the budget process included targeted pay adjustments for eligible employees, averaging roughly 3.92% when straight-lined across eligible positions, and that health-insurance costs had been conservatively estimated in the plan given uncertain premium increases.

What the record shows

The motion to adopt the FY2026 budget and the other items listed under “Votes at a glance” were moved, seconded and approved during the March 26 meeting. The minutes do not include a roll-call vote breakdown for each commissioner; approvals were recorded by voice as "aye." The commission began the meeting with three members present.

Ending

County officials said they will finalize levy-setting in April — the budget was submitted to the State Auditor’s Office for approval as required by state procedure. Commissioners signaled continued caution about future revenue volatility and health-insurance cost pressures while endorsing the adopted spending plan.