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Kane County environmental staff outline 2026 budget priorities and plan to meet 10% general-fund cut
Summary
Environmental and Water Resources staff presented pre-budget numbers on June 13 showing salary-financing sources, energy and LED savings, and a plan to meet a county directive for a 10% general-fund reduction largely by reallocating salary support to special funds rather than cutting staff or services.
Kane County Environmental and Water Resources staff on June 13 gave committee members an early look at the department's 2026 budget priorities and how it plans to meet a county board directive to cut general fund budgets by 10 percent.
Jody Womack, of the department, told the Energy and Environmental Committee that the department's general-fund salary reduction target is about $70,000. Because the contracts and commodities line in the general fund is already very small, Womack said the department's plan to meet the directive relies mainly on shifting portions of salary support into special revenue sources rather than cutting positions. "Our that amount for us, in our general fund, salaries would be $70,000," Womack said. "We're we will be, increasing our riverboat request by the $70,000 ... to pay for a percentage of the sustainability manager salary." She said part of the plan also involves adjusting revenue from the electric aggregation passthrough to the general fund.
Womack reviewed fees and revenue sources that support department staff: stormwater and grading permit fees, wetland and subdivision fees, waste-hauler fees, household hazardous-waste revenues and electric aggregation proceeds. She said many fees have not been updated since 2019 and that the development committee has asked staff to consider fee increases or new fees to support salaries.
The department highlighted energy savings achieved by county projects. Womack said the solar field at the Judicial Center has averaged about $250,000 in annual electrical savings and will continue to provide savings for the next 25 years; she also cited about $60,000 in rebates for hybrid vehicle chargers and an anticipated LED conversion with estimated total savings of about $100,000 and roughly $50,000 a year thereafter.
Committee members asked for more detail on fund balances and revenue assumptions, and one member requested the treasurer provide projections for interest income so the committee is not surprised if earnings fall. Womack said staff will return with a full budget presentation in July.
