Carbon County presents $19.1 million general-fund tentative budget, proposes 3.5% COLA

Seth, a member of county finance staff, presented Carbon County's tentative budget for 2026 and said the proposed general fund is $19,090,950. He outlined fund-by-fund proposals and said the overall tentative budget is about $1 million less than the 2025 budget.

"The proposed budget for 2026 is $19,090,950," Seth said. He also listed the municipal services fund at $9,627,300 and the airport fund at $2,169,500, and described a proposed airport fire-suppression project expected to increase that fund for next year.

Seth highlighted three key changes for 2026: a proposed 3.5% cost-of-living adjustment across county employees (including elected officials), the airport fire-suppression project (estimated in the discussion at roughly $2,000,000), and the absence of a large hangar/expansion project that appeared in the 2025 budget.

Seth said the full tentative budget will be available for public inspection in the county office and clerk's office starting the day after the presentation and that state code requires the commission to present this tentative budget and then hold a public hearing before final adoption.

Commissioners thanked Seth and staff for preparing the budget and noted that budget amendments are common in the year ahead. The commission did not vote to adopt the budget at the meeting; the next steps are a published notice and a public hearing at a future meeting.

The county will accept public review of the tentative budget in the county and clerk's offices, and a formal public hearing will be scheduled as required by state code.