Franklin County commissioners set May budget-review sessions, discuss tying commissioners’ pay to separate account

The Franklin County Commission scheduled two budget-review sessions for May 8 and May 13 at 2 p.m., approved a resolution described in the meeting as “BGMN to BOE general 43 to 44,” and discussed a proposal to tie commissioners’ salaries to another account starting after the next election in fiscal 2026–27.

Commissioners agreed to hold budget reviews following the commission’s regular May 8 meeting and again on May 13 at 2 p.m. Several participants noted that some officials will be out for conferences in the second and third weeks of May, and the commission said staff should adjust the schedule so departments can present budgets when members are available.

The commission also approved an item identified in the meeting as “Number 12, resolution BGMN to BOE general 43 to 44.” A motion passed, and a commissioner (named in the transcript as James) was recorded as seconding the motion. No roll-call vote tally was provided in the transcript.

Separately, a commissioner raised the idea of adopting a resolution to tie the Franklin County commissioners’ salary to “some other account,” saying the change would take effect after the next election and begin in fiscal 2026–27. The speaker said the measure would link the commission’s pay to the performance or balance of the referenced account so that future pay adjustments would follow that account; specifics about which account would be used or how the formula would work were not provided in the meeting record.

Members also discussed a training-related payment for commissioners. In the meeting one speaker referred to an amount described in the transcript as “6 50”; the record does not make clear whether that was shorthand for $6.50, $650, or another figure and did not provide formal ordinance or policy language for such a stipend.

The meeting concluded after public-comment was opened and no substantive public remarks are shown in the transcript; commissioners then moved to adjourn and the motion to adjourn passed.

Why it matters: scheduling of budget-review sessions determines when department budgets are presented and can affect when the commission will be asked to adopt the county budget. A policy tying commissioners’ salaries to another account would change how compensation is adjusted in future years and could affect county budgeting and transparency if adopted and implemented.