Potter County Commissioners on Thursday approved a notice setting Monday, Aug. 25, at 9 a.m. for the public hearing on the proposed 2025-26 budget and authorized publication of proposed salary increases for elected county and precinct officers. The vote was recorded as unanimous, 4-0.

The hearing was one of several procedural steps the commission took after lengthy department-by-department presentations that included requests for new hires, raises and technology contracts. County staff repeatedly cautioned the court that adding recurring payroll costs would push the county’s required tax increase well above this year’s working numbers.

County Auditor Brandon (staff) told the court that the running tally of additional requests would push the needed tax-rate adjustment above the levels presented earlier in the day and said the court must adopt a tax rate sufficient to fund any recurring salaries it approves. Brandon also noted a pending state discussion (an emergency session proposal floated Aug. 1) to limit future property-tax increases to 2.5 percent and warned that such a change would reduce the county’s ability to capture unused increment on a three-year lookback.

Commissioners and department heads repeatedly stressed fairness concerns, with some members arguing for smaller, across-the-board Cola increases rather than targeted raises for particular employee groups. Judge Tanner and department leaders emphasized the budget discussed at the meeting was proposed, not adopted; Judge Tanner retains the ability to change the proposed budget until she files a final version with the county clerk on the statutory filing deadline.

The court did not adopt a final budget or tax rate at the meeting. Instead the commission set the public hearing and asked staff to continue modeling tax-rate outcomes if it adds any of the large recurring requests presented by the sheriff’s office, the district attorney’s office, the fire department and others.

The decision preserves the court’s ability to act after public comment but leaves several large requests — including multi-hundred-thousand-dollar, recurring salary packages and technology contracts — unresolved ahead of the public hearing.

Votes at a glance: The commission unanimously approved (4-0) a motion to set the Aug. 25, 2025, public hearing on the proposed budget and to publish proposed elected-officer salary increases; no other formal motions or votes were recorded on individual departmental requests during the session.

Looking ahead: Staff will produce updated tax-rate calculations reflecting any additions the court instructs be restored to the proposed budget; commissioners said they will weigh equity across departments and the long-term impact on fund balance before final votes.