Tooele County Council adopts tentative 2026 budget, approves 2025 adjustments

The Tooele County Council on Oct. 21 adopted the county’s tentative 2026 budget with amendments and approved adjustments to the 2025 budget after a public presentation and public hearing.

County staff presented the tentative 2026 budget and recommended amendments before the council. Allison, a county budget staff member, said the county’s aggregated budget is $131,000,000 as presented and described capital requests of about $11,400,000 and $2,200,000 in equipment requests. She said the tentative budget includes a 3.25 percent cost-of-living adjustment and that the merit pool was presented as a 22 percent recommendation but the budget used an average 1.25 percent merit figure “based on how the merit was given out over the last year.” Allison also noted there is no proposed increase to employee health insurance in the tentative budget presentation.

Allison said the tentative document is a working draft and that staff discovered clerical errors after publication — including an extra zero added to the aging department line and a missing capital project entry for “30 Third Parkway.” She urged the council to include corrections in the tentative budget so the public can see the proposed changes.

County Manager Andy Welch and other staff answered council questions about open enrollment and how certain multi-jurisdictional projects are budgeted. Recorder and surveyor Terry Hilton spoke during the public hearing, asking council members to contact department staff with questions about departmental requests.

The council opened and closed a public hearing on a separate resolution to amend and increase the 2025 budget (Resolution 2025-25). Councilman Stromberg moved to adopt Resolution 2025-25; Councilman Hoffman seconded. The council voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 2025-25.

After discussion about the tentative 2026 budget and the amendments Allison outlined, Councilman Stromberg moved to open the public hearing on the tentative budget; Councilman Wardle seconded. No members of the public offered additional remarks beyond those already heard. Councilman Stromberg then moved to adopt Resolution 2025-26, the resolution adopting the tentative 2026 budget with the presented amendments; Councilman Wardle seconded. The council approved the motion unanimously.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 2025-25 (amending/increasing the 2025 budget): motion by Councilman Stromberg; second by Councilman Hoffman; outcome: adopted unanimously. - Resolution 2025-26 (adopting the tentative 2026 budget with amendments): motion by Councilman Stromberg; second by Councilman Wardle; outcome: adopted unanimously.

What was said and why it matters Allison described the tentative budget as a working document, noting forecasting methods, department requests across more than 30 departments and the need to correct clerical errors before final adoption. The tentative budget influences department planning, capital projects timing and how the county will show fund balances and subsidy needs for enterprise funds such as the airport.

Staff flagged several funds that will need monitoring: human services (projected to reach zero and normally subsidized by the general fund), debt service timing around Deseret Peak bond proceeds, and an airport enterprise fund that Allison said shows strong asset value but limited spendable cash. Allison said the airport “is operating basically at level to negative” and must be watched for sustainability; she credited the airport director for seeking alternative revenue.

Next steps The tentative budget was published and made available online; staff told council members they will continue reviewing and refining figures through open enrollment and department follow-ups. The final budget public hearing is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 2, and staff said there will be additional public meetings and meetings with departments to review individual budgets as required.

Ending The council adopted the tentative budget and the 2025 budget adjustments unanimously and directed staff to continue outreach with departments and to incorporate the clerical and line-item corrections discussed in the presentation.