Sussex County commissioners advance $126.5 million 2025 budget for formal introduction

Sussex County commissioners voted to advance the county's draft 2025 budget for formal introduction next month after a staff presentation that detailed operating and capital spending, revenue sources and several highlighted capital projects.

The action came after a presentation of the county's draft operating budget of $126,465,043 and a capital budget totaling $18,000,007.47. "Our total budget this year, is $126,465,043," Elka, a county staff member, said during the presentation. Commissioners voted to push the budget as drafted to the next meeting; the motion carried.

The budget presentation outlined revenue and spending mixes and several large capital allocations. Staff said roughly 82% of revenues are from county-purpose sources, about 1% from state aid, and approximately $4.7 million in grant funding was included. In the capital budget, just over $6 million is allocated for education (the technical school and the college), $3.7 million for a county sewer project, $2.05 million for roads and bridges, $1.7 million for fleet management, $1.2 million for libraries and $950,000 for facilities. "Included in this capital budget is an allocation as you could see of $500,000" for improvements to the prosecutors/task force building, Commissioner DeGroote said during the discussion.

Staff described how the capital program will be funded: $8.5 million from the county's capital fund, $575,000 from Chapter 12 state funding, approximately $2,571,000 in 2025 bonding (including debt service costs), and about $2,065,000 from prior-year capital. The presenter told commissioners the county has reduced borrowing this year to just over $3 million and is using transferred year-end funds to pay as you go where possible.

Commissioners and staff also discussed the tax rate and debt ratios. The presenter said preliminary equalization indicates a tax rate near $0.397 per $100 of assessed value, which staff described as an estimated decrease of about 8.74% from the prior rate; final equalization and the final tax rate will be available at the time of formal introduction. The presentation noted the county's net debt and reserve levels are well within typical rating metrics: "Statutorily, we're allowed 2% of our equalized value," the presenter said, and the county's reported debt ratio was described in the presentation as substantially below that limit.

Commissioners praised the budget for keeping the growth in the amount to be raised by taxation below inflation, maintaining funding for debt service and capital improvements, and adding line items for local priorities cited during the process. Commissioners highlighted a new $100,000 line for a local food pantry and county support to cover the $500 fee for volunteer firefighters to attend the county fire academy. Commissioners also noted additional support to Sussex Tech (an 8.85% increase cited during discussion) and said the college's funding was held flat this year while shared services are being pursued.

After questions from commissioners, the board voted to advance the draft budget for action at the next meeting. The record shows procedural votes earlier in the meeting to approve the meeting agenda and to open and close public comment; no public speakers addressed the budget during the session recorded in the transcript.

Next steps stated in the meeting: staff was directed to complete the state budget form so the budget can be formally introduced at the board's next meeting and scheduled for subsequent adoption according to the county's calendar and statutory timelines.