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Bourbon County work session flags falling reserves, benefits rise and tight 2026 budget
Summary
Commissioners reviewed a draft 2026 budget that holds a 1.4% baseline for most departments, raises public-safety spending, reduces cash reserves and prompted calls for multi-year strategic planning and clearer line-item figures.
Bourbon County commissioners and staff used a lengthy work session to walk through a draft 2026 budget that, if adopted in its present form, would lower the countygeneral-fund cash reserve and leave little room for new spending without either tax increases or service cuts.
The commissioncommittee that prepared the draft applied a 1.4% baseline increase to most departments to match a modest rise in assessed valuation. Public-safety budgets received a larger adjustment: sheriff and dispatch proposals were treated as higher-priority and were allocated increases of about 4.36%. Commissioners said those increases reflected staffing and operational demands.
Several specific budget points emerged during the review. Staff said the…
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