Kalamazoo County adopts 2026 budget, creates 15 positions and approves pension adjustment; community grants set at $400,000

Kalamazoo County commissioners on Oct. 21 adopted the county’s 2026 budget, approved creation of 15 budgeted positions and passed a retirement resolution that raises certain retiree benefits and a current-employee multiplier.

The actions were the most consequential of a long meeting that also set aside $400,000 for community grants; the board directed staff to return with final grant awards and clarifications in a follow-up meeting.

Commissioners said the budget process this year was more collaborative than recent cycles and that the administration had refined materials and timelines so many of the new positions can be posted immediately after the budget takes effect. County Administrator Kevin Catlin and Finance Director Ryan Post described a plan that used revised revenue projections, including increased public safety revenue-sharing estimates, to balance requests such as temporary support for the courts.

“Our aim was to make the courts whole and to get positions posted earlier in the year so hiring is not delayed into March or April,” Finance Director Ryan Post told the board during the Oct. 21 presentation. He said 13 of the 15 recommended positions already have job descriptions and organization codes in Munis and can be posted once the budget is adopted.

Why it matters: The budget sets staffing and program priorities for the year; the board’s vote now allows departments to begin hiring and prepares the county for the 2026 operating year. Commissioners emphasized that some line items — notably community grant awards — require additional follow-up before final distributions.

Key details from the presentations and discussion

- Accounts payable and payroll. The accounts-payable claim list presented for review totaled $4,513,301.68; the board was asked to approve $2,930,037.15 of those claims. Payroll disbursements for the October 10 general and special payrolls and the October 15 elected payroll totaled $6,241,826.50.

- Positions. The budget includes 15 new positions for 2026; the administration said the majority already completed classification steps and can be posted right after adoption.

- Community grants. The board appropriated $400,000 for community grants in the 2026 budget and asked staff to reconcile board members’ selections and bring a refined awards list back for approval at a later date.

- Courts. The administration reported agreement with the circuit court leadership on a plan to make the court whole this year by a combination of reclassifications, position savings and revised revenue assumptions tied to public-safety revenue-sharing funds from the state.

- Pension adjustment. The board approved an amendment (see “Votes at a glance”) that provides a 0.75% adjustment for each year of retirement back to 2002 for certain retirees and raises the multiplier for current retirees from 2.0 to 2.1; the board heard objections from the retirement investment advisory committee but approved the change.

Votes at a glance (items recorded by motion and roll-call vote)

- Adopt 2026 county budget - Motion: Approve and adopt the 2026 budget as presented (motion by Commissioner Morales; support by Vice Chair Pro Tem Hepler). - Outcome: Approved (roll call recorded: 9 yes) - Notes: Budget funds 15 new positions; community-grant bucket set at $400,000 to be allocated later.

- Create 15 budgeted positions for 2026 - Motion: Approve the 15 position creations included in the 2026 budget. - Outcome: Approved (roll call recorded: 9 yes) - Notes: Positions have job descriptions and organization codes so posting can begin immediately after adoption.

- Retirement resolution amendment (section 16) - Motion: Amend retirement provisions to provide a 0.75% adjustment per year of retirement (back to 2002) and to raise multiplier for current retirees from 2.0 to 2.1. - Outcome: Approved (roll-call vote recorded; one commissioner noted the investment committee had recommended a different approach but the resolution passed) - Notes: The change affects retirees’ lifetime benefits and current employees’ prospective calculations; the retirement committee had recommended no adjustment.

- Community grants appropriation - Motion: Include community grants funding of $400,000 in the 2026 budget. - Outcome: Approved as part of the budget (9 yes) - Notes: Staff will reconcile commissioner scoring and return with a final award recommendation; administrators noted some submitted applications lacked supporting documents and staff recommended a more formal grant matrix for FY27.

- County clerk salary resolution (2026) - Motion: Adopt 2026 salary for County Clerk/Register of Deeds (resolution wording in packet). - Outcome: Approved (recorded: majority yes, one abstention by Vice Chair Taylor due to direct personal impact)

- Other finance and staffing housekeeping votes (consent items) - Several consent items — including approval of payroll, minutes, and regular financial reports — passed by roll call as part of the consent agenda.

What commissioners said

Vice Chair John Taylor said the board had “created a budget that keeps everybody getting a paycheck, keeps the lights on and the doors open,” and commended administration for responsiveness on court funding needs. Commissioner Christian Pro Tem Hepler and others thanked department heads and finance staff for the improved format and speed of the budget materials.

Next steps and follow-up

- Administration will publish final hiring timelines and the posting schedule for the 15 positions. - Staff will refine the community-grant recommendations, reconcile commissioners’ selections and present the final awards at a future meeting. - The retirement and pension office will administer the adopted pension adjustments and provide implementation timing.

Speakers (attributed where quoted)

- Chair Streps (Chair) — Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners - Vice Chair John Taylor (Vice Chair) — Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners - Vice Chair Pro Tem Christian Hepler (Vice Chair Pro Tem) — Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners - Commissioner Morales — Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners - Commissioner Ray — Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners - Commissioner Wheeler — Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners - Finance Director Ryan Post — Kalamazoo County (Finance) - County Administrator Kevin Catlin — Kalamazoo County Administrator

Authorities

- policy: "County budget and personnel rules" (referenced by administration for position posting and organizational coding) — referenced_by: ["2026 budget presentation"]

Clarifying details

- accounts_payable_total: 4513301.68 (presented as total claims) - accounts_payable_board_approval_request: 2930037.15 (amount for board approval) - payroll_disbursements_total: 6241826.50 (October 10 and October 15 payrolls) - positions_created_count: 15 (number of new positions in the 2026 budget) - community_grants_bucket_usd: 400000.0 (allocated in the budget; final awards pending) - pension_adjustment_rate_per_year: 0.75 (percent per year of retirement applied back to 2002) - retiree_multiplier_after_adjustment: 2.1 (changed from 2.0 for current retirees)

Meeting context

- engagement_level: {"speakers_count":20,"duration_minutes":330,"items_count":20} - implementation_risk: "medium"

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