Thurston County commissioners restore $950,000 for courts, trim TC Connect funding and approve preliminary biennial budget

Thurston County commissioners agreed Oct. 22 to reallocate county budget resources to reduce proposed cuts for court operations and approved a preliminary biennial budget with several specified amendments.

At the start of the afternoon budget discussion, County Manager Leonard Hernandez told the board staff had identified roughly $450,000 of available funds within non-departmental (countywide) services and proposed reducing TC Connect program funding from $3,000,000 for the 2026–27 biennium to $2,000,000 (shaving $500,000 in each year) as a way to free additional resources. “Our recommendation would be that $500,000 of it remains ongoing, and that $1.5 is a one time,” Hernandez said, adding staff would retain flexibility pending TC Connect steering-committee work with the county’s consultant Baker Tilly.

That change, combined with the $450,000 identified in non-departmental, produced about $950,000 in funds commissioners could apply to the judicial offices, staff said. Commissioners discussed the trade-offs between preserving TC Connect funding and addressing immediate court budget shortfalls.

Commissioner Ty Menser (chair) moved to restore $450,000 to the Superior Court budget, $250,000 to the Auditor/Clerk's budget and $250,000 to the Juvenile Court budget from the resources identified in TC Connect and non-departmental. The motion passed unanimously. The vote record on that motion shows all five commissioners voting in favor.

County staff and commissioners also discussed options for keeping vacant court positions on the books but not funded for up to two years, and staff said language could be added to a budget proviso attached to the formal adoption resolution to preserve the ability to re-fund positions if caseloads change. Summer Miller, Budget and Finance Manager, said adding proviso language would create administrative work for HR and the budget office but was feasible for a two-year window.

Commissioner Kerley Mejia requested the justice partners convene and “level set” cuts and potential restoration priorities, and Judge Skender was reported to be engaged in conversations about vacancies in juvenile court. Commissioners discussed offering funds as a starting point for the justice partners’ discussions rather than dictating allocations themselves.

The board also approved a procedural motion to fund one or more election project positions if the county auditor provided confirming revenue documentation by the end of the week. Commissioner Rachel Grant moved the contingent motion; the board seconded and approved it unanimously.

Finally, commissioners voted to approve the preliminary 2026–27 biennial budget development package for staff to prepare a formal budget for the board’s consideration at the Dec. 16 adoption meeting, with the amendments made during the Oct. 22 session included. The motion to advance the budget passed unanimously.

Other items discussed during the review included an errata list the budget office circulated with late adjustments (including internal service rates, general fund reduction targets and corrections to position revenue backing). Miller said staff removed a PAO position from recommended funding after meetings with that office and corrected an auditor election supervisor position entry that had been carried forward incorrectly.

An executive session earlier in the morning was convened pursuant to RCW 42.30.110(1)(i) to discuss litigation and enforcement matters; the board reported giving direction to counsel but taking no legislative action.

Ending: The board directed staff to draft the preliminary budget documents for formal consideration in December, to add proviso language if the board wishes to preserve unfunded positions for courts for up to two years, and to confirm revenue backing for election project positions by the end of the week.