Jackson County Legislature told county executive budget ordinance is still pending

The Jackson County Legislature on May 21 was told the County Executive submitted a proposed budget in November 2024 but that a final budget ordinance remains pending.

The update came during the legislature's regular meeting when the chair asked for a status report and a representative of the County Executive's Office said, "The County Executive submitted his proposed budget in November of 2024 as, he has the authority to do so. That is the ordinance, that is the recommendation of the County Executive's budget. You have made a request for additional funds to be made available as part of the budget. The county executive is considering those requests." The representative added that the executive "is meeting with staff this morning and we'll have something back to the budget chair this afternoon."

The nut graf: the County Executive's proposed budget sets the administration's recommendations for county spending; the legislature must receive a budget ordinance from the executive before the body can act. At the May 21 meeting, members did not vote on any budget ordinance and no formal adoption occurred.

Legislator Franklin, the legislature's budget chair, told the body he has been reviewing documents with the executive's office and that a response was transmitted from his office to the County Executive. The County Executive's Office representative confirmed receipt of that response and said the executive is considering the legislature's requests but did not give a firm deadline for completion beyond promising to return something to the budget chair "this afternoon." When asked by the chair whether a recommendation would be ready this week or move into next week, the representative said they had no additional timeline beyond the update given.

Discussion was limited to status and timeline questions; there was no motion, vote, or direction recorded that would change the executive's recommendation at this meeting. The next regular legislative session was announced for May 22 at 10 a.m. at the Jackson County Courthouse.

The legislature did not cite a specific statute or ordinance number during the update; members and staff referred to the County Executive's proposed budget (November 2024) and to a pending budget ordinance as the documents that govern the process.