Daviess County fiscal court advances draft 2025–26 budget as commissioners debate drainage funding

The Daviess County Fiscal Court agreed by consensus April 16 to prepare a final draft of the fiscal year 2025–26 budget that incorporates three staff‑proposed adjustments, while commissioners debated whether to set aside money from surplus to address chronic flooding and drainage problems.

County staff presented three nonpacket changes to the draft budget: creation of a “firefighter fundraiser” account to register private donations ($50,000 revenue and matching expense), formalizing a recurring opioid harm‑reduction grant to the ASAP board (an added $20,000 revenue and expense; the county’s ASAP line will total $40,000 to reflect both grants), and moving $55,000 from the reserve for budget transfers to cover parks entrance signs that were delayed into the next year. "The 3 changes are in addition to the revenue account firefighter fundraiser donations in the amount of $50,000," county staff read to the court during the work session.

The budget document presented for review shows a balanced set of appropriations across funds.…