Guadalupe County approves Bear Metro 9-1-1 $18.45 million budget for fiscal 2026
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Summary
Commissioners approved Bear Metro 9‑1‑1’s fiscal year 2026 plan, a balanced $18,448,875 budget that projects a multi-year decline in certain revenues while preserving core operations and workforce investments.
Guadalupe County Commissioners on June 17 approved the Bear Metro 9-1-1 network fiscal year 2026 financial plan and budget, a balanced operating budget of $18,448,875 covering Oct. 1, 2025–Sept. 30, 2026. The court voted without recorded opposition after a presentation by Bear Metro representatives.
Bear Metro representatives told the court the budget is balanced — projected revenues equal projected expenditures — despite an overall revenue decline the agency attributes to changes in wireless, Voice over IP and investment income. The presentation said wireless and VoIP revenues are expected to fall about 21.15% and investment income about 39.18% year over year, contributing to an aggregate revenue decline of roughly 27.5%. The operations-and-maintenance budget was shown at $15,153,875, a 2.9% increase over the prior fiscal year’s O&M figure.
The plan, presenters said, fully funds core operations, strategic initiatives and workforce investments under the current fee structure. Bear Metro noted modest wireless revenue growth (about 1.89%) is projected but not enough to offset declines in other revenue streams; federal grant funding that previously supported recurring next-generation 9-1-1 operations has expired. The presentation described continued investments in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence and noted a recent network upgrade completed at the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office. Bear Metro also said it maintains a significant reserve balance and has added three positions to the sheriff’s office as part of local support efforts.
Commissioners asked whether the projected revenue decline is a temporary blip or a longer-term trend. A Bear Metro representative replied that shifting market dynamics, lower investment yields and national patterns of declining sales in related sectors suggest a mixture of cyclical and structural effects; he said the agency maintains substantial reserves and is “financially solid” while acknowledging increased costs tied to AI and cybersecurity work.
Staff also referenced planning work with the Texas Department of Public Safety to site a 150-foot tower at Corey Run to improve regional radio coverage, and offered tours of Bear Metro’s North San Antonio command center. After discussion the court approved the budget. The motion to approve was made during the meeting and, according to the audio record, passed with no opposition.
The court did not record a roll-call vote in the public audio; court minutes show the motion passed and Bear Metro staff thanked the court before leaving the dais.
