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Commission opens FY26 budget season with fund‑balance warning from finance director
Summary
Director Meredith gave a high‑level overview of five‑year fund balances, warning that the county’s general fund reserve is not keeping pace with higher expenditures and urging commissioners to set priorities for the FY26 budget.
Washington County commissioners on Feb. 24 began the fiscal‑year 2026 budget season as county staff laid out historical revenue and expenditure trends and urged elected officials to identify priorities for the coming year.
Director Meredith provided a 60,000‑foot overview of the county’s fund balances, showing a post‑COVID peak driven by ARPA and other one‑time federal receipts and a gradual return toward pre‑pandemic levels. Meredith cautioned that the general fund reserves are roughly at 2020 levels while expenditures have increased since then.
"My concern from a fiscal standpoint is ... the general fund fund balance," Meredith said, urging the budget…
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