Linn County Board approves FY26 budget, authorizes treasurer software after walk‑in guarantees

The Linn County Board of Supervisors on Monday approved the county’s fiscal year 2026 budget, authorized the purchase of appointment software for the treasurer’s office and directed $18,754 in resulting savings to the county’s capital repair budget.

The budget motion, approved unanimously, set revenues at $169,667,497 and expenditures at $166,249,255 and produced a county levy rate of $6.06, down one penny from the previous year’s $6.07, officials said. The board also approved the treasurer’s office purchase of No Wait Inside appointment software after supervisors secured written and public assurances the office will retain a same‑day walk‑in service component.

The budget adoption finalizes the county’s operating plan for fiscal 2026 and follows multiple budget work sessions by staff and the supervisors. Sarah Barrows, budget director, told the board that the software expense will be recorded as a general‑fund item and the $18,754 identified as savings will be returned to the general‑fund capital repair budget rather than the county’s $1.2 million CIP fund.

The software decision drew several supervisors’ attention because they sought explicit guarantees that appointments would not replace a same‑day walk‑in option for residents. Supervisor (unnamed) said she had initially planned to vote no but changed her position after receiving written and verbal assurances that walk‑in service would continue. “I will be voting in favor of the software,” she said, adding her support followed the new information and guarantees about serving walk‑in residents promptly.

Supervisor Kirsten said she received the guarantee in both a public forum and in writing from the county treasurer’s office and that the assurance changed her vote. Treasurer Brent Oleson was cited during the discussion as having committed publicly and in writing to preserve a walk‑in component in the treasurer’s office.

The board also approved a separate motion to amend the treasurer’s offer to reflect unanimous supervisor approval for the software and to place the $18,754 in savings into the capital repair budget for future allocation.

Other routine fiscal business completed during the same session included approval of payroll authorizations and claims previously presented to the board.

The budget and the associated motions carried by voice vote with no recorded dissents; the board recessed and later reconvened to finalize the fiscal items.

Looking ahead, staff will implement the software purchase and return to the board with the specific use plan for the $18,754 in capital repair funds.