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Monongalia County approves fiscal 2026 budget after drop in property valuations
Summary
Monongalia County Commission on March 26 approved a fiscal year 2026 budget that officials say is roughly 7.1% smaller than the current year, citing an 18.95% drop in class 3 property valuations and other revenue declines; the budget keeps the county levy rate unchanged and preserves contingency reserves.
Monongalia County Commission approved the fiscal year 2026 county budget during its March 26 meeting, adopting a plan county officials said reflects lower property valuations and targeted spending adjustments.
County officials told commissioners that a nearly 19% decline in class 3 property valuations—driven in part by how the state values oil and gas properties—contributed to an overall 6.72% drop in total assessed valuation, a change officials said reduced property tax revenue by roughly $2.5 million. The commission said the budget submitted for approval represents about a 7.1% decrease from the current fiscal year and was prepared assuming the existing levy rate of $0.11 per $100 of assessed value; the formal levy will be set in April.
The adopted budget retains a sizable carryover and contingency balance. County staff said the budget is predicated on approximately $11.5 million in carryover funds, with roughly 3.2% of that held as unallocated contingency. Officials reported the county's contingency reserve would remain well-funded under the plan (approximately 72% of the target, per staff presentation).
Officials also told the commission the budget includes targeted pay increases for county employees based on department-level decisions made with elected officials. Staff said about 3.92% would be the straight-line average increase for eligible employees across departments. The budget also includes a planning allowance for rising health insurance costs; staff used a conservative placeholder of $1.5 million for premium increases and noted estimates could be materially higher, with earlier internal estimates cited in the meeting as high as about 41% in one scenario.
The commission said it still plans to fund more than $1.5 million for social services and community health programs in the coming fiscal year, including a roughly $500,000 contribution to the county health department and more than $1 million for broader social services allocations. County staff also reported reviewing about 60 grant applications and said 51 applicants received some level of award under the proposed budget.
Commissioners discussed steps taken to tighten hiring assumptions in budget submissions: vacancies with no realistic near-term hiring plans were removed from submitted budgets, a change staff said trimmed roughly $430,000 from proposed spending requests.
The motion to adopt the fiscal year 2026 budget passed by voice vote. Officials said they will submit the approved budget to the West Virginia State Auditor's Office for formal review and approval.
Looking ahead, commissioners and staff emphasized uncertainty tied to state policy and one-time federal funds. Staff noted the county will monitor state actions that could affect business tax treatment and reminded the commission that American Rescue Plan Act funds must be spent by the end of 2026, which could reduce available one-time resources in future years.
Votes at a glance: The commission passed the fiscal year 2026 county budget by unanimous voice vote (ayes recorded), with three commissioners present.
