Wallowa County debates 2.5% vs. 5% budget cuts, considers hiring freeze and ARPA transfers

Wallowa County commissioners continued a public hearing on the 2025 budget on Dec. 16, pressing department leaders and staff for options to close a mult-million‑dollar shortfall while weighing the effect of deeper cuts on county services and employees.

The meeting featured a daylong review of office budgets and public testimony, then an extended deliberation among Commissioners Todd Kimbell (chair), Jenny Mayberry and Bill Fulmer about whether to require 5% reductions across departments or adopt a smaller, 2.5% cut and backfill the remainder with one‑time transfers and reserves. County staff and Commissioner Kimbell said earlier budget planning assumed a 3.5% salary increase; updated consumer price numbers lowered the recommended non‑represented increase to about 3.04, producing modest savings.

"If we're requesting 5%, that's what I expect," Kimbell said, adding that deeper cuts would likely affect employees. Fulmer urged caution: "5% is doable, but it's painful," he said, noting that the largest reductions would come from staffing changes. Mayberry recommended starting with broad 2.5% reductions and using targeted transfers, such as excess building‑fund revenue and ARPA funds, to avoid layoffs.

Public testimony highlighted operational priorities. Superior Court Judge Bridal Johnson urged the board not to reduce courthouse security and cited General Rule 36 of the Washington Supreme Court on minimum courthouse safety standards. "A safe courthouse environment is fundamental to the administration of justice," Johnson said, and she asked that any security changes be considered by the court security committee.

County staff outlined options presented to the board: a medical‑reserve transfer of roughly $350,000, use of ARPA revenue replacement arguments to reallocate roughly $900,000 in 2025 (and $500,000 in 2026), preliminary hiring‑freeze savings estimates, and possible ER&R rollbacks for IT and public works. The chair said he preferred a plan that used some reserves as "band‑aids" to avoid permanent cuts that would reduce long‑term service capacity.

Commissioners requested staff to return with firm numbers, including how much the hiring freeze would save in 2025, and directed the auditor to model budget outcomes under both the 2.5% and 5% scenarios. The board voted to continue the public hearing to Dec. 23, 2024, to allow more detailed figures to be prepared.

What happens next: staff will submit updated reduction scenarios, a hiring‑freeze proposal form and ARPA/allocation recommendations ahead of the Dec. 23 meeting. The board signaled it intends to decide whether to implement a freeze and which one‑time transfers to use before finalizing the 2025 budget.