Grayson County budget workshop flags EMS costs, broadband and Baywood School designation as top priorities

Grayson County officials on Oct. 12 discussed a conservative revenue forecast for fiscal year 2026 and identified emergency medical services funding, completion of Western End broadband and the Baywood School designation as the most urgent budget issues facing the county.

County staff presented estimates showing an expected decline from the county's 2025 revenue estimate of about $29.0 million to a preliminary 2026 estimate near $28.1 million, a reduction the presenter said is budgeted at roughly $436,006. The presentation singled out decreases in new-construction revenue, local taxes and charges for services (including refuse tipping fees) as drivers of the projected drop, while intergovernmental revenue was expected to rise because of participation in a day-reporting program.

The nut graf: The board framed the workshop as the stage to set priorities and trade-offs for the upcoming fiscal year, noting limited one-time funds (including ARPA) and that large, ongoing costs 'particularly a move toward a full, countywide paid EMS model'could require a levy increase unless offset by other reductions or new revenues.

Officials emphasized three immediate priorities. First, 9-1-1 stabilization and completion of broadband work in the Western End remained a top goal. Second, supervisors returned repeatedly to the cost and structure of EMS going forward, with multiple members warning that converting to a fully paid, professional countywide EMS could sharply increase recurring costs and may be unaffordable without tax increases. Third, the board revisited a…