Broadwater County adopts $10.35 million fiscal 2025–26 budget, uses $614,000 from reserves

The Broadwater County Board of County Commissioners on July 2 adopted the county's fiscal 2025–26 final operating budget, authorizing $10,353,233.45 in appropriations and using $614,000 from the general fund cash reserve to balance the plan.

The budget adoption came after a public hearing and a presentation by Bill Jarocki, the county administrative officer, who described the county's approach as an "expense driven" budget that aims "to have an expense driven budget that is very accurate and that we do not put into a budget all the money that's available, only the money that we need." The resolution adopting the final budget cites Montana law (MCA) and was approved by voice vote at the meeting; commissioners indicated unanimous support.

The budget reduces total appropriations from the previous fiscal year, when the county's FY25 budget reached about $14.9 million because of a one-time aeronautics project at the airport that exceeded $4 million. For FY26 Jarocki said the projected expenditures total roughly $10.35 million and that the…