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County finance presents 2026 budget preview; commissioners ask to separate maintenance items and PLR requests

Mason County Board of Commissioners · November 4, 2025

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Summary

Finance presented preliminary 2026 figures including an estimated $24 million beginning fund balance, $46.65 million in revenues, $38.27 million in salaries and benefits and a projected $13.29 million ending fund balance; commissioners discussed prioritizing maintenance items and reconciling PLRs and special-fund requests.

The county finance director presented a preliminary overview of the proposed 2026 county budget at the Nov. 3 briefing, highlighting revenue, personnel and ending-balance estimates and explaining next steps for Program-Level Requests (PLRs) and special-fund items.

Key figures presented in the briefing included an estimated beginning general-fund balance of about $24,000,000, projected revenues of $46,649,556, projected salaries and benefits of $38,269,822 and total expenditures of $57,363,241, leaving an estimated ending fund balance of $13,286,315 under the assumptions shown. The director noted adjustments are expected as property-tax amounts are finalized with the assessor and as PLR requests are reconciled.

The finance director also reviewed full-time-equivalent (FTE) counts: the general fund at about 288.54 FTEs and total county FTEs at approximately 424.46, noting several temporary positions and grant-funded roles added since 2020. Commissioners asked for a breakdown of how COVID-era and grant-funded positions have changed over time and requested further detail on public-health grant positions.

Commissioners discussed moving essential or previously approved projects into maintenance to reduce the PLR load, reconciling special-fund requests (including REIT and O-9 funds), and delaying or denying lower-priority capital or equipment requests. The director said she will return with reconciled PLR figures and suggested a future session to walk through maintenance-level items and unresolved PLRs before the budget is posted to the county website on Nov. 17.