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Mohave County Board of Health approves FY26 preliminary budget; several routine items also accepted
Summary
The Mohave County Board of Health approved a preliminary fiscal year 2026 budget and accepted routine public-health items including the mosquito surveillance program, a quarterly report of reportable diseases and prior meeting minutes. The board discussed staffing, grant funding shifts and the department's priorities before voting.
The Mohave County Board of Health approved a preliminary fiscal year 2026 budget after a department presentation on proposed program funding and staffing changes.
Mohave County Public Health Director Melissa Palmer presented an overview of the proposed FY26 budget and explained that the department is relying more heavily on grant funding and contingency reserves after recent reductions in some state and federal contracts. Palmer told the board that non‑general‑fund sources would represent about 52 percent of the proposed budget, with fees covering roughly 17 percent and the general fund about 19 percent.
Palmer described several budget priorities and risks: rising costs for supplies and utilities, continued reliance on contingency dollars to protect general fund balances, and concerns about public health nursing capacity. She said two public health nurse positions have been frozen in prior years and that the department’s population growth increases demands for nurse‑led case investigations and outbreak responses.
The board discussed the department’s request to fill key vacancies, plan for an overlap to train a soon‑to‑retiring vital‑records worker, and a proposal to fund food‑safety training for small food establishments should the county adopt the 2017 food code. Director Palmer also noted Mohave County’s mobile health unit had been supported by ARPA funds.
Votes at a glance
- FY26 preliminary budget: Approved (voice vote). Motion and second recorded; vote recorded as voice “ayes” and outcome approved. Specific tally not specified in meeting record. - Mosquito Surveillance Program: Accepted (voice vote). Motion and second recorded; vote recorded as voice “ayes” and outcome approved. - Routine summary of select reportable diseases (Jan. 1–Mar. 31, 2025): Accepted (voice vote). Motion and second recorded; vote recorded as voice “ayes” and outcome approved. - Minutes of the Jan. 27, 2025 Board of Health meeting: Approved (voice vote). Motion and second recorded; vote recorded as voice “ayes” and outcome approved.
Palmer told the board the preliminary budget is still subject to county finance adjustments; the Department of Public Health submitted the book to the county manager and finance for inclusion in the county’s larger budget process. The board voted to recommend the proposed spending plan to the Board of Supervisors.
The board also heard multiple informational presentations during the meeting, but the formal actions above were the principal votes taken.
