Mason County budget director outlines 2026 spending plan, highlights WIC risk and policy-level requests

Budget staff presented commissioners with a preliminary maintenance-level general-fund budget for 2026 and detailed policy-level requests (PLRs) and special-fund items departments have proposed.

At maintenance level, staff said estimated general-fund revenue is $46,630,556 and budgeted expenditures are $57,244,998; beginning fund balance was estimated at about $24 million and ending fund balance for 2026 was projected to land between $18 million and $20 million depending on revenue and expenditure actuals. Policy-level requests across departments total $2,757,142 and include seven full-time-equivalent positions (estimated $691,899) and roughly $2.065 million in other expenses. Staff plans to return with FTE breakdowns and additional detail at subsequent briefings.

Budget staff reviewed notable special-fund requests and capital items: an election-system equipment request (~$250,000) to meet compliance needs; public-works equipment (boom mower, brooms, replacement vehicles) and a $2.5 million proposed transfer from reserved road-project fund balance to support a project; and requests in health and other departments for additional transfer authority or spending. Staff said combined special-fund beginning balances total about $63.6 million and that the county's total budget (general fund plus special funds) currently projects to about $196.5 million for 2026.

Public-health staff reported WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program funding is vulnerable to a federal shutdown. The food component is administered through the state and, according to staff, food funds on hand would likely last about 10 days; staff time costs are covered through separate local funds temporarily and would be reimbursed if state contracts are executed. The health director said state contracts have arrived late in prior years, which strains local cash flow and forces internal fund shifts.

Other items discussed included enterprise motor-pool vehicle replacement (staff proposed replacing additional 14 fron-line white-fleet vehicles to reduce maintenance and save an estimated $15,000 annually), a request to consolidate county job classes to enable position-control systems, and departmental PLRs such as assessor office supplies and training increases. Commissioners asked for more department-level justifications and said they would schedule department presentations to assess PLR priorities.

No formal budget adoption occurred; staff will return with more detail in future briefings and department-level presentations so commissioners can prioritize PLRs ahead of public hearings.