Jefferson County previews 2026 capital and personnel plans; finance committee approves new health-plan contracts with projected savings

County budget and finance leaders presented an early look at the planned 2026 capital and personnel budgets and related policy issues to the Finance and Rules Committee, and the committee approved contracts for administration of the county's self-funded health plan and prescription benefit management.

The county budget officer said combined capital and personnel typically account for about 25–30% of the county budget and highlighted several major planned capital projects for 2026: roughly $9.8 million in airport projects (including a $2.5 million general aviation apron expansion and a $610,000 local-share parking-lot paving project), about $4 million in building upgrades and $3 million in security upgrades at the Human Services Building, and an estimated $12.3 million in highway infrastructure projects financed from county and CHIPS funding. The presenters said they plan to bond the Human Services building upgrade; the county expects state aid to cover a large share of borrowing costs under New York's financing mechanisms.

Budget staff also described personnel and benefits drivers. The county is incorporating recently settled labor agreements,…