Spalding County adopts fiscal 2026 budget, millage falls; commissioners' pay increase sparks lone dissent

Spalding County commissioners adopted the fiscal year 2026 expenditure budget Tuesday and certified an estimated rollback millage rate of 15.45, approving the budget on a 3-1 vote after hours of public comment and debate.

The budget, presented by County Manager Dr. Lehi Ledbetter, proposes roughly $75,000,006 in expenditures and staff described the plan as “extremely lean.” Ledbetter told the board the county is balancing an expenditure budget against a revenue budget while responding to state deadlines tied to House Bill 581 and its cleanup in HB 92.

The budget matters because it sets local spending levels for police, courts, roads, solid waste and other services and because it incorporatesthe county’s response to several state-driven costs. Dr. Ledbetter said staff factored in a new, unfunded state court judge that the legislature required and noted the county will carry only part of the first-year cost now and defer full staffing until January to ease cash-flow pressure.

Most of the meeting’s public commenters urged the county to protect services, with repeated appeals over proposed changes to trash collection sites and condemnation of higher pay for elected officials. Jewel Walker Harps, speaking for the NAACP, said keeping “the garbage collection station intact” is essential because “the convenience of trash disposal is one thing that every household values.” Other residents said closing collection sites would worsen illegal dumping and increase travel burdens for seniors and fixed-income households.

Commissioners debated multiple trade-offs inside the budget. Among notable items disclosed by staff: a recommended 2.5% pay increase for county employees, a $500,000 annual general-appropriations set-aside for sewer investment, an increase in sheriff’s staffing that reflects planned growth in patrol and jail positions, and a reduction to some programs to meet short-term cash-flow needs. Ledbetter told the board the county’s fund balance is about $18 million and that the county’s general fund revenues and expenditures remain under tight management.

A separate, contested vote on a resolution raising pay for the board of commissioners passed on a 3-1 vote during the meeting. One commissioner said publicly they would vote against the overall budget “only because of the pay raise,” but the record shows the budget itself carried 3–1. The certified rollback rate resolution later passed unanimously.

The board also authorized several administrative items during the session, including contracting actions and routine approvals. The county manager and finance staff said the county will continue reviewing the budget after adoption and may return with amendments if new information or needs arise.

“We are running extremely lean this year,” Dr. Ledbetter said during his presentation, describing a year-to-year approach meant to avoid raising the millage rate while meeting newly imposed state requirements.

Commissioners and staff emphasized that the budget was the product of extended review sessions held in public and urged residents to participate earlier in next year’s budget process. The budget took effect as adopted; finance staff will proceed with implementing the revenue and expenditure plans and notify taxpayers of the certified rollback rate.

Details: The staff’s presentation gave the recommended fiscal 2026 expenditure total at about $75,000,006, general fund revenues and encumbrances to date, and noted the county’s April fund balance of roughly $18 million. Ledbetter said the county expects average tax bills for the “average” home value to be slightly lower this year than last year for many property owners because of digest growth and a modest reduction in the net millage rate.