Mason County commissioners tighten budget requests and push follow-up on sole‑source, grants and PLRs
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Summary
Budget staff told commissioners the county is starting next year with an estimated $24 million and presented a long list of 2025 amendments and 2026 PLRs; the board approved only limited capital items and deferred many operating increases pending documentation and follow‑up.
County budget staff spent the bulk of the meeting walking commissioners through an extensive set of proposed 2025 amendments and 2026 policy-level requests (PLRs), asking the board to decide which increases to accept now and which to defer to the formal budget process.
"The beginning fund balance is estimated to be, 24,000,000 roughly," budget staff said while outlining revenue and expenditure assumptions. Discussion covered equipment and vehicle requests, election equipment grants, interpreter costs for district court, jail software and capital needs for public works and solid waste. Commissioners agreed to move several enterprise-funded capital projects forward (landfill/transfer station replacements, certain equipment rentals) but declined or deferred numerous operating increases including many office-supply/training requests and overtime increases until more documentation is provided or the formal budget hearing.
Board members pressed staff and the auditor's office on procedural questions: whether a large equipment purchase could be treated as a sole‑source procurement and therefore need a formal resolution; which items are reimbursable grants (revenue in/revenue out) versus new county costs; and whether hiring requests funded by grant or opioid settlement money create long‑term obligations. Budget staff was asked to bring a sole‑source draft resolution and to clarify funding sources for election equipment and other PLRs before final approval.