Mayor outlines internal efficiency task force to feed FY2026 budget; no county budget ask yet

Hamilton County’s mayor briefed commissioners on an internal working group formed to identify operational efficiencies, rebid major vendor contracts, tighten purchasing and accelerate digitization, and said recommendations would be delivered before the FY2026 budget is presented.

The mayor (name not specified in the public transcript) described the task force as an early-stage effort that has met twice and comprises the mayor’s office, the county chief operating officer David Roddy, an auditor’s office representative Austin Durrell, finance’s Vonda Patrick, modernization lead Nathan Janeway, procurement representative Lindsey Parish and other long-serving county staff such as Christy Cooper and Jennifer Pukanis.

"If you do the small things well, people will trust you," the mayor said, describing one operating principle of the effort. He listed preliminary review areas that already have been examined, including consolidation of office printers, a county-wide cell-phone review to identify staff who require phones to do their work, subscription and office-supply procurement, lease reviews, rebidding of large vendor contracts, digitization of records and analysis of chronically vacant positions.

The mayor said the county is in a strong fiscal position and that the task force’s aim is to find operational savings and improved asset use so the commission can prioritize investments in education and infrastructure during budget season. He said the group’s findings would be presented to the commission ahead of the budget so commissioners know where to look for efficiency recommendations.

Commissioners thanked the mayor for the update; Chairman Ebersole and others noted the effort aligns with earlier calls for operational scrutiny. No formal county funding request or ordinance change was made during the presentation.