Pike County fiscal court adopts 2025-26 budget as officials warn of declining revenue and large storm-repair needs

Pike County Fiscal Court on Monday approved its proposed fiscal year 2025–26 budget after a prolonged discussion about falling revenues, mounting storm-repair bills and dependence on federal and state disaster reimbursements.

Judge Jones said the court must act now to meet state deadlines but warned the county faces longer-term fiscal strain. "Every major revenue stream is declined every year, year after year for 5 straight years," he said, adding that higher salary increases would accelerate a coming "day of reckoning." The court voted yea on the ordinance in a roll call that recorded votes by Commissioner Scott, Commissioner Atkins, Commissioner Lewis and Judge Jones.

The discussion preceded the vote and centered on two themes: declining recurring revenue and a large backlog of road and bridge damage from repeated storms. Judge Jones said the budget as presented reflected a modest pay-scale increase and a conservative approach intended to avoid worsening the county's financial position. He told colleagues a 1 percentage-point across-the-board pay raise would add roughly $160,000 in annual payroll cost, and each additional percent would raise that total further.

Public-works and emergency-management staff described the scale of storm damage countywide. Tim Fields, the county's applicant agent for FEMA, told the court the county has documented more than 3,000 locations of damage to roads, bridges, culverts and other transportation infrastructure and said those sites are already part of FEMA damage assessments: "We've already identified how many areas of damage to county roads, bridges, culverts, drains, and other transportation infrastructure. The coronary records were over 3,000." Court members and staff described bridge-replacement estimates in the millions of dollars for individual spans. Judge Jones cited a specific example and cost range when discussing a single bridge replacement: "To replace that bridge is $6,000,000."

Court members said the county has absorbed prior storm costs while waiting for federal and state reimbursements but warned that the backlog and recurring revenue declines limit their flexibility. County Treasurer Frankie presented revenue trend information showing several major lines of revenue have fallen over the last five years, and court members noted the county has not yet received certain FEMA or state recovery funds for recent disasters.

After debate, Commissioner Scott moved to adopt the budget ordinance; the motion passed on a roll-call vote recorded as yes by Commissioner Scott, Commissioner Atkins, Commissioner Lewis and Judge Jones. The court also directed the treasurer to return to the court with comparative figures showing the cost to the county of a 2 percent versus a 3 percent pay adjustment so members could consider that change at a later meeting.

Formal actions taken at the meeting that relate to county finances and recovery included approval of work orders, authorization for some staff travel to the Kentucky Emergency Services Conference and various personnel items that the court acknowledged on the record.

Why it matters: Pike County officials say sustained declines in property, occupational and net-profit tax receipts, together with repeated storm damage, mean the county must prioritize recovery projects and manage personnel costs carefully until reimbursements and revenues stabilize. The court approved the budget to meet state submission deadlines but reserved the option to revisit raises or other amendments once staff provide more detailed cost estimates.

Next steps: Treasurer Frankie will provide the court with the specific payroll-cost comparisons for 2 percent and 3 percent raises. The court also continues work with FEMA and state agencies on a multiyear slate of bridge and road repairs that officials said will require significant outside funding.