Yamhill County adopts FY 2025 budget, sets tax rate and approves selective pay restores for elected offices and public safety

The Yamhill County budget committee voted April 30 to adopt the county27s fiscal 2025 budget as amended, set the county property tax rate at $2.5775 per $1,000 of assessed value and approved a set of targeted additions to the budget for personnel and one-time equipment and service needs.

The committee approved a series of pay and staffing items recommended by the compensation committee and the county administrator, including a market adjustment for the county assessor and smaller adjustments for other elected offices and several one-time add-backs to support public safety and court operations.

Why it matters: The budget sets the county27s spending plan for the next fiscal year and keeps the property tax rate unchanged. The compensation and add-back votes affect public safety, the county27s ability to process court business and day-to-day service levels for several county programs. The committee emphasized caution about reserve levels and signaled further work on long-range budget sustainability.

What the committee approved and how it will be paid

Budget and tax rate - The committee approved the fiscal 2025 budget as amended and set the tax rate at $2.5775 per $1,000 assessed value. That rate is unchanged from the prior year.

Elected-official compensation (key votes) - Assessor: The committee approved a 6.5 percent increase for the county assessor (motion passed; recorded opposition: 1). The assessor had argued the increase was needed to reach 22department head22 pay levels and to retain staff; he framed the request as a market adjustment. He said, 22At some point, the jump's gotta happen or it doesn't happen at all.22 - Sheriff: The committee approved a 6.5 percent increase to the sheriff27s base pay (motion passed; recorded opposition: 1). Sheriff Sam Elliott noted pay compression with long‑tenured deputies and said he currently makes only a small dollar amount more than his next highest paid employee: 22When you apply everything . . . I make $21.36 more than the next person in my office.22 - Clerk: The committee approved a 4.0 percent increase for the county clerk (motion passed). Clerk Carrie said her office had run at reduced staffing and that she logged more than 2,600 hours of work in the last year alone: 22Last year alone, I worked 2,652 hours.22 - Commissioners: The committee voted to leave commissioner compensation unchanged for this year (motion passed; recorded abstention noted). - Treasurer and District Attorney: No changes were approved for the county treasurer or the district attorney (no increase; treasurer action carried with an abstention; DA had no request).

Major add-backs, equipment and one-time items (selected) - Courthouse security and transports: The committee approved an add-back of $61,006.32 from the county general fund to cover courthouse security and transport staffing shortfalls (motion passed). The sheriff27s office had used reserve deputies and contracted screening; the add-back pays for additional reserve hours and a contracted screening line. - District Attorney staffing: The committee approved restoring two DDA I prosecutor positions (add-back $365,734 from the general fund; motion passed). County staff and the DA explained recent vacancies and recruitment timing; committee members cited prosecution capacity and public safety as reasons to restore the positions. - Marine patrol: The committee approved a $10,000 contribution from the video-lottery / economic development fund to extend seasonal marine patrol hours on the Willamette River (motion passed). Committee members said the patrol serves many out-of-county visitors in summer months. - OSU Extension: The committee approved a $6,500 continuation of prior-year funding for OSU Extension (motion passed). - Jail camera and records system upgrades: The committee approved a capital/one-time purchase of an upgraded jail camera system and a new records/jail management software (a motion approved to fund an ATEM/records upgrade from an ONC/discretionary fund; separate decisions covered a redundant server/back-up approach). The upgrades were presented as a multi‑year efficiency and records-preservation investment; committee members flagged improved accuracy, reduced manual redaction and faster case processing as benefits. - Tactical / equipment and training for sheriff: The group approved a plan to fund an initial set of tactical-equipment purchases from the patrol ending balance with the remainder to be covered through grants or future budget action; the committee accepted a staged funding approach so training and equipment can proceed. - GIS contract / assessor: A $50,670 reallocation that shifts GIS contract funding from planning to the assessor27s office was approved.

Committee discussion and next steps Committee members repeatedly returned to two themes: (1) the need to protect core public safety and court functions and (2) the county27s shrinking reserve cushion. County staff explained the budget uses a conservative revenue projection and that some one-time revenues (for example a newly completed development that will generate a community service fee) were not yet included in the proposed budget but could improve the ending fund balance.

County Administrator and budget staff said they would follow up with a short analysis of discretionary reserves and ending balances across departments and return recommended technical adjustments before final adoption. The committee endorsed that approach as a way to seek the remaining dollars needed to cover a handful of add-backs without sharply eroding the county27s reserve target.

Ending and implementation The budget and tax rate adopted by the committee will be included in the final adoption package presented to the Board of Commissioners. The adopted pay changes and add-backs are effective as specified in the committee27s motions and will be entered into the fiscal 2025 payroll and financial plan as provided by the county finance office. Members signaled continuing review of the county27s long-term position on compensation and asked staff to bring back options for sustaining reserves and matching pay with market levels.

Quotes 22At some point, the jump's gotta happen or it doesn't happen at all,22 Assessor Derek said when arguing for a market adjustment. 22Last year alone, I worked 2,652 hours,22 Clerk Carrie said while describing election and office workload. 22When you apply everything . . . I make $21.36 more than the next person in my office,22 Sheriff Sam Elliott said, explaining how small current pay separation stood relative to deputies.

What to watch next - County staff will return with a short cross-department review of discretionary and ending-balance opportunities to cover outstanding add-backs without jeopardizing reserve targets. - Procurement and implementation schedules for the jail camera/system upgrades, the records/ATEM replacement and any grant-funded tactical purchases. - The assessor27s and sheriff27s offices will post and recruit the restored positions; the timing of hires will affect final personnel costs in the fiscal year.

Ending The committee closed the meeting after the votes and asked county staff to prepare the amended budget documents for formal adoption by the Board of Commissioners on the schedule required by Oregon budget law. The committee emphasized that preserving a healthy reserve and addressing recurring personnel costs will be priorities for the next budget cycle.