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Eddy County adopts final FY25–26 budget, approves 5% COLA and 100% employee insurance
Summary
Commissioners approved a $444 million countywide expense budget and personnel changes including a 5% cost-of-living adjustment, 100% paid insurance and increased PERA contribution.
Eddy County commissioners voted to adopt the county’s final fiscal year 2025–26 budget on Tuesday, approving a countywide expense plan that county staff described as balanced for the general fund.
County finance staff presented highlights showing a countywide expense budget of $444,000,000 and total revenue of $236,400,000 for FY25–26. The general fund budget was described as balanced at $147,800,000 with transfers in of about $51,100,000.
Tanya Gonzalez, who presented the revenue reports, told commissioners that gross receipts tax (GRT) collections for May and June were above last year’s levels and that oil and gas receipts remain a large share of county revenue. For June the county reported $7.9 million in oil and gas receipts and an annual oil-and-gas total just over $107 million, with year-to-date production averaging roughly 26.5 million barrels annually for the prior fiscal year.
County staff said the final FY25–26 budget includes a roughly $14 million increase in the personnel budget, four new budgeted positions (three in administration and one in detention), 919 reclassifications and restoration of one previously frozen governmental affairs director position. The package also included:
- a 5% across-the-board cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for employees; - county-paid insurance at 100% for employees (an estimated $6.4 million increase); - an increase in PERA employer contributions to the statutory maximum (noted in the presentation as reaching 75% contribution in applicable categories); and - longevity pay and annual step increases for employees.
Commissioners also heard budget-to-actual reports showing an ending fiscal-year balance of approximately $31.1 million that could be directed to capital projects such as items on the county’s ICIP list. The county manager and finance staff emphasized that some mid-year capital projects were unexpensed at year-end, which reduced the percent of expenses to budget in FY24–25.
The board approved the final budget by voice vote with all present commissioners voting yes. No amendments were made during the meeting.
