Sheriff proposes using facility revenue to remove vehicle purchases from 2026 budget

Montgomery County Sheriff (name not specified) asked legislators at a budget workshop to remove planned vehicle purchases from the 2026 operating budget and instead fund them through revenue generated by the county facility. The sheriff said the county is "on course to make 1,350,000.00 this year" and that a resolution would shift vehicle purchases out of the budget.

The sheriff and staff identified the specific budget lines affected. For patrol vehicles the proposal is to take $100,000 from motor-vehicle equipment (A-15-4-3110-00-2230). Jail-facility vehicle costs were listed at $141,009.45 and would come out of the jail facility account (A-15-3-2264). The sheriff summarized the net change to be removed from the budget as approximately $192,000 and confirmed the funds would come from the jail facility revenue line.

Committee members discussed the mechanics of the change and whether the county should adopt it by resolution. At the public safety committee the legislature approved an amendment to increase the revenue line by $100,000 and place that amount into the motor-vehicle equipment line; the committee moved the amended item to the full board for final action.

The sheriff also noted the security-contract costs for building officers and broader steady increases in salary and other lines that are largely beyond department control. Legislators asked clarifying questions about specific line numbers and whether the vehicles would still be purchased; staff confirmed that the resolution would give permission to purchase the requested vehicles without leaving the cost in the 2026 operating budget.

If the full board approves the committee amendment, the move would remove these vehicle purchases from the operating budget and instead authorize procurement using the identified facility revenue.