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Grant County Council approves staffing changes, transfers, union contract and adopts 2026 budgets
Summary
At its meeting the Grant County Council approved EMS and dispatch transfers, highway and public-defender hires, a sheriff staffing and fund transfer, a community corrections grant-funded hire, a new sheriff-union contract and adopted the county’s 2026 budgets and DLGF forms.
Grant County — The Grant County Council approved a set of administrative and personnel actions and adopted the county’s 2026 budgets during a regularly scheduled meeting.
Actions approved by voice vote included an additional appropriation and transfer for Grant County EMS to reconcile scheduled hours, a Highway Department request to reclassify and fill a vacant road-performance position as a truck-driver role before winter, and the public defender’s request to hire Justin McKenzie as a trial public defender with a salary discussed in the meeting (the transcript recorded the figure as $55,000). The council also approved a transfer from sheriff salaries to special deputies and payroll accounts to maintain courthouse security and to replace a retiring detective.
Kaye Hamels of Community Corrections asked to fill a grant-funded secretary position in Fund 9101; the council confirmed the funding source and approved the vacancy placement. The council later approved a $30,000 transfer from the central dispatch salaries fund to overtime to cover persistent overtime needs (the council recorded an average of about $10,000 per month in overtime).
Council members approved a negotiated three-year contract with the sheriff’s union incorporating a $1,000 base pay increase for union members, an updated longevity-calculation base year moving from 2021 to 2025, and contract coverage through Dec. 31, 2028. Sheriff Garcia thanked the council and committee for negotiating the agreement and said he would provide originals for signatures.
The council then unanimously adopted the 2026 county budgets and the DLGF budget forms (resolution 3-2025) covering required state funds — general fund, reassessment, debt service, highway, local road/street, public health, cumulative capital development and economic development — plus other local funds reviewed during the public hearing process. Council members were reminded to sign the official forms before leaving.
No contested votes were recorded for the staffing, transfer or contract approvals; most items passed by voice vote following motions and seconds. Several council members noted continuing budget pressures and the need to manage county resources amid rising costs.
