The Washington County Commission voted to adopt the county'wide fiscal 2025'26 budget and maintain the property tax rate at $1.71, approving the package by recorded votes of 14 yes and one absent.

The action covered a set of resolutions described in the meeting packet, including a resolution identified in the packet as "resolution 3006 0 1" with an effective period listed as 07/01/2025 through 06/30/2026. Commissioner Davenport moved to approve the resolution; Commissioner Tucker seconded, and the clerk announced 14 yes, 1 absent. Later in the meeting the commission adopted a resolution described in the packet as "resolution number 25 0 6 0 3" to adopt the fiscal-year budget; the clerk again announced the vote as 14 yes, 1 absent and said the resolution passes.

Commissioners discussed several line items during the meeting. A commissioner raised a discrepancy in the packet regarding a $102,000 line for the John City Library on page 13 and asked staff to clarify the differing figures in the packet. County staff explained that the difference mentioned by Commissioner Malone related to funding for the Imagination Library line item and summarized the correct allocations for that entry.

The budget documents discussed at the meeting show a modest staffing increase: the packet compared prior-year counts (about 458 budgeted/actual) with a proposed budgeted employee count near 460; staff said two additional budgeted positions are planned, one to support permit processing (previously handled via temporary agency staff) and another to support planning services shared with the town of Jonesborough. The packet also reflects a 3 percent budgeted salary increase.

No other amendments were recorded on the floor. Following the votes, the chair called for any other business and the meeting adjourned.

The adoption of the budget and maintenance of the tax rate set the county'level spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2026, as described in the resolutions presented at the meeting.