Lane County adopts 2025-26 budget, approves final supplemental for 2024-25

Lane County commissioners on Tuesday adopted the 2025-26 county budget and approved a final supplemental amendment for fiscal year 2024-25, actions that officials said keep total spending largely unchanged while trimming staff positions across departments.

The adopted 2025-26 budget imposes and categorizes taxes and sets county appropriations at about $1.21 billion; the adopted supplemental for the closing 2024-25 year reduces that year's budget by about $10.2 million and includes an interfund loan provision to cover possible delays in federal reimbursements, county staff said.

County Budget Director Christine Moody summarized the supplemental during the public hearing, saying it "decreases our budget by about $10,200,000" and trims about 1.4 FTE in the supplemental year because some projects will be rebudgeted into the next fiscal year. Moody said departments also reviewed revenue estimates and rebudgeted uncompleted roads, bridges and facilities projects.

Why it matters: Commissioners and staff emphasized that the two actions are aimed at closing the current fiscal year responsibly and launching the next year with a balanced plan. The county faces higher costs for personnel and operations, so commissioners said the board and budget committee prioritized core services while limiting tax increases.

Key facts and figures - Adopted 2025-26 budget total: about $1.21 billion. - Current-year (2024-25) budget before supplemental: about $1.22 billion; supplemental reduces that total by roughly $10.2 million. - Full-time equivalents (FTE): adopted budget shows about 2,002 FTE, down from about 2,082 FTE in the prior adopted budget (a net reduction of roughly 80 FTE). - Supplemental includes an interfund loan provision to protect the county against delayed federal reimbursements; the hope is the loan will not be needed, Moody said. - The county noted specific grant changes: loss of an EPA grant reduced Health & Human Services staffing by about 2.25 FTE.

During the public hearing required under Oregon law (ORS 294.471 and ORS 294.473), no members of the public testified on the supplemental amendment. Vice Chair moved to approve the supplemental order and resolution (order/resolution number included in the agenda materials), the motion was seconded, and the board voted 5-0 to adopt the supplemental.

Commissioner commentary and implementation Commissioners thanked budget committee volunteers and staff for months of work reviewing reductions. Commissioner Farr asked for an itemization of FTE reductions by department; Moody said department- and program-level details will appear in the adopted budget document and that most general-fund reductions occurred in Health & Human Services, central services and the sheriff's office, while some departments (for example public works) saw smaller changes because of different funding sources.

Moody and commissioners said reductions included both staff cuts and non-staff spending reductions (material and services, training), and noted that many pass-through funds to community providers were affected by grant changes.

Votes and procedural notes - Supplemental budget (FY 2024-25, order/resolution referenced in the agenda): Motion to approve moved by Vice Chair; seconded by Commissioner Buck. Vote: Aye 5-0; motion passed. - Adoption of 2025-26 budget (order and resolution adopting budget, making appropriations, imposing and categorizing taxes): Motion moved by Vice Chair; seconded by Commissioner Buck. Vote: Aye 5-0; motion passed.

What comes next County staff said the adopted budget document, with department- and program-level FTE detail, will be published after the close of the adoption process; Moody estimated the full adopted document is typically available to the public about 90 days after adoption. Commissioners said management will continue to present prioritized implementation steps tied to the budget.

Ending The board's vote completes the formal budget adoption process for 2025-26 and closes the supplemental cycle for 2024-25, with staff directed to publish the adopted materials and to provide departmentspecific implementation plans during the coming months.