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Probate judge requests $20,000 for fireproof storage of wills; overall budget otherwise flat
Summary
The probate judge asked the commission for a roughly $20,000 increase to purchase additional fireproof file cabinets to store original wills in the courthouse archive; the office said caseload and wedding ceremonies were otherwise steady and the rest of the budget is flat.
Probate Judge Ed Lovato presented a largely flat FY26 budget with a single material request: an increase of roughly $20,000 for fireproof file cabinets to house original wills in the county archive.
Judge Lovato said the probate office handled more than 400 petitions for appointment and probate last year and that the office also officiated about 95 wedding ceremonies. The judge explained the office previously purchased several fireproof cabinets but has outgrown their capacity; the new request is for six additional fireproof file cabinets to store original wills indefinitely in a secure basement archive.
Finance staff and commissioners asked for projected replacement timing and costs; Judge Lovato estimated roughly $4,500 per unit given inflation compared with earlier purchases. The commission did not take action at the meeting; the request will be considered in the preliminary budget.
