Sumner County budget committee approves FY26 budget for publication after staff, department changes

The Sumner County budget committee voted unanimously to publish the fiscal year 2026 budget as amended after a half-day session reviewing revenue assumptions, department requests and capital proposals.

Finance director Mister Long told the committee the draft budget had been reworked to align revenues and grant-related expenditures by expected receipt dates and to avoid misleading swings in the reported fund balance. He recommended conservative sales-tax and property-tax estimates that include a 2.5% allowance for uncollectible taxes and noted that grant timing and encumbrances caused much of the apparent volatility in draft figures.

Committee members debated several department requests. Sheriff Craig and the sheriff’s office requested personnel changes, including restoring step increases, a correctional-sergeant position in exchange for two proposed clerical hires and a small parity adjustment for captains. The sheriff also asked that building improvements for sheriff operations be returned to the…