Jefferson County commissioners roll back millage, set revised tentative budget

Jefferson County commissioners voted unanimously to roll back the tentative countywide millage rate and adopt a revised tentative FY2025 budget following the board's first required public hearing. The county manager read a tentative millage of 7.826 mills and a budget figure read into the public record; after the board chose to roll back the rate staff reported a revised millage of 7.6529 mills and a proposed appropriated‑expenditures budget of $36,937,557.

The rollback decision followed a brief public comment from resident Phil Van Vyen, who asked why the millage had been raised initially when the county appeared to have a healthy contingency. County staff responded that increases reflected cost‑of‑living adjustments and department spending pressures and that rolling back the millage would still leave about $700,000 in contingency funds.

Commissioner Paul moved to close the budget public hearing; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Grahamlin/Grama and the rollback vote passed without recorded opposition. A subsequent motion to adopt the resolution approving the county manager's proposed budget (as adjusted for the rollback) was made by Commissioner Searls and seconded by Commissioner Grambling; staff read the revised totals into the record before the board approved the item.

The chair announced a second and final public hearing on the budget will be scheduled at a later date; there was conflicting on‑the‑record oral testimony about the date (speakers alternately read Sept. 24, 2025 and Sept. 20), and the board agreed to set the final hearing date by motion before the next meeting.

Routine budget‑related items were handled during the same meeting, including approval of an auditor contract and several assessment resolutions. The county indicated the tentative numbers will be finalized at the advertised final public hearing.