Carroll County presents draft FY2026 budget with $3.3 million revenue increase projected

Carroll County officials presented a draft fiscal 2026 budget that projects $83,232,613 in revenue, about $3,300,000 more than the current year, and detailed assumptions for expenses before the board is required to advertise a balanced budget in May and vote in June.

The draft presentation, delivered by Alicia Searcy, opened with revenue estimates and department-by-department requests. "We're gonna start with the revenue budget," Searcy said. Later she summarized the revenue projection: "So we're projecting a total of $83,232,613 in revenue, which is a $3,300,000 increase over last year." The presentation noted the county must present a balanced budget to the board in May and then run the required newspaper advertisements before a June vote.

Why it matters: The draft frames the county's tax and spending choices for the coming year and sets priorities for negotiating large cost drivers such as health insurance, property and casualty insurance and the county's solid-waste contract.

Key revenue notes - Property tax: Searcy said the digest is not finished; the draft shows only a small increase in current-year property tax and anticipates the construction-driven digest might push collections higher. - Sales and other taxes: Sales growth is projected to be modest; local energy excise tax is projected at about $750,000; local insurance premium and financial institution taxes are forecast to grow slightly. Searcy noted a small projected decline in cable subscribers. - Hotel-motel: The draft holds the county hotel-motel line at about $40,000. Searcy warned that municipalities collect hotel-motel taxes inside city limits and that county receipts exclude those amounts. - Special and one-time revenues: The draft includes about $100,000 in state reimbursement tied to a juvenile court associate judge and calls out potential inmate-housing reimbursement increases that Searcy said she had not yet confirmed with the legislature.

Expense and policy assumptions - Insurance and major contracts: The budget assumes roughly a 12% increase in health insurance and a 15% rise in property and casualty; a proposal from the county's trash hauler, GFL, included an 82% increase that staff said they are negotiating down. - No across-the-board 4% employee pay increase is included in the draft. Department salary adjustments are limited to specific promoted or reclassified positions that staff recommended. - Technology and operations: The draft funds an enterprise electronic timekeeping subscription that Searcy said "I think it was around $50,000," to be paid initially from capital; the county would also pay an ongoing subscription fee. - Staff moves and requests: The finance office requested converting a part-time finance position to full time; Jordan Gainey was moved into public works for building maintenance; several department requests (e.g., additional ag center 4‑H agent, new facility work) were left unfunded or deferred to capital.

Department highlights and offsets - Solid waste: staff proposed capital investments (compactors at convenience centers and parks), shifting recycling collections to an alternative vendor (SLM) and other changes intended to reduce hauling trips and lower the GFL proposal; more detail is in a separate article. - Courts and justice: The draft reflects statutory and contractual changes affecting superior and state courts, juvenile court staffing and SRO reimbursements; those items are summarized in a separate article. - Public safety and corrections: Higher jail health and medical costs, increased vehicle maintenance and utilities are reflected; Searcy told commissioners that correctional medical spending varies with inmate acuity and volume.

Process and next steps County staff said the draft may change as negotiations continue on insurance, the GFL contract and other large items. Searcy asked commissioners to review departmental detail and submit questions to staff before the May meeting so the advertised budget will be based on the most current information. The board must receive a balanced budget in May to meet statutory advertising requirements ahead of a June vote.

Ending The presentation closed with staff and commissioners agreeing to continue negotiations on major cost drivers and to return refined numbers at forthcoming meetings; staff said some capital spending would be proposed to reduce long-term operating costs.