Oconee County presents $83.7 million recommended budget; commissioners hold second public hearing on FY2026 plan

The Oconee County Board of Commissioners held a second public hearing on the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget, during which county staff said the recommended general fund budget is $45,704,250 and the county’s total recommended budget is $83,700,551, an increase of about $7 million from FY2025.

Melissa, a county staff member who presented the budget, said the proposed general fund represents about a 12% increase over the current year and that property taxes are budgeted at $19.7 million, making up about 43.5% of the proposed general fund. She said the county plans to use approximately $310,000 in reserved fund balance in the general fund to purchase law-enforcement body cameras.

The presentation listed the largest expenditure categories as law enforcement/jail/911 (about 33.9% of the general fund recommendation), administration and operations (17.3%), parks and recreation (9.8%), and public works (9.4%). Personnel and benefits are budgeted at $25.6 million (about 56% of the proposed general fund), reflecting an across-the-board step increase for eligible employees plus several position changes. Melissa outlined specific staffing adjustments: two part-time positions proposed for animal services, two part-time positions for the Civic Center with one full-time custodial position removed, one full-time planning manager added with a…