Daviess County fiscal court adopts $110.2 million FY2026 budget; one commissioner votes no over drainage concerns

Daviess County Fiscal Court on June 5 adopted its fiscal year 2025–26 budget, approving total appropriations of $110,219,426 despite a voiced objection from one commissioner over stormwater and drainage funding.

Treasurer Jordan Johnson read the budget at the meeting and said the county’s appropriations by fund include a $60,274,222 general fund, $6,275,100 road fund, $11,546,724 jail fund, $26,768,180 solid waste fund and other funds for a combined total of $110,219,426. "The budget will be effective beginning July first of 2025. It will be posted on our website and be available for examination in the office of the county judge executive," Johnson said.

The fiscal court approved the budget after discussion. Commissioner Condner (county commissioner) said the plan is "drastically higher than previous years" and criticized the absence of a dedicated line item for drainage remediation after recent flood closures. "That is why I am voting no on this budget," Condner said on the record.

County leadership and staff responded that several large capital projects discussed during budget planning are not entered as current-year line items because they would be funded in part by bonds or by future grant awards and therefore handled through later amendments. The presiding County Judge/Executive defended the process and said department requests and staff input informed the proposed budget. Treasurer Johnson reiterated that major projects such as the detention-center renovation and a proposed public-safety facility are "not included in the actual budget document" and would be addressed through bond proceeds or future budget amendments if and when funding details are finalized.

Commissioners discussed specific capital cost estimates during the debate, with references to potential costs for a detention-center renovation and a combined public-safety facility that county staff have evaluated. Commissioners also discussed plans to seek state or federal assistance for some projects and the court’s low existing debt load.

The budget motion passed. The meeting record shows voiced approval and the single recorded dissent by Commissioner Condner; no roll-call tally with full names for each vote was recorded in the minutes presented at the meeting.

The court will carry the adopted budget into the new fiscal year beginning July 1 and will consider future budget amendments or bond issues if and when project-specific funding becomes final. Commissioner Condner said he plans to press for greater commissioner involvement in departmental budget meetings and for explicit county spending to address recurring drainage problems in future sessions.

Votes and procedural items related to the budget — including earlier routine approvals of minutes and claims, and separate transfers and capital project authorizations discussed that evening — were handled in the same meeting and are summarized in a separate "Votes at a glance" article.