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'2627' biennial budget hearing: resident urges conservative baseline, commissioners close hearing
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Summary
At a reconvened public hearing on the '2627' biennial budget, John Pettit urged the county to set 2026 spending at about 105% of 2025 and add 3% for 2027, and warned that underfunding could prompt legal actions by other elected offices. Commissioners closed the hearing by voice vote.
John Pettit of Rich Road used his three minutes at the reconvened public hearing on the '2627' biennial budget to urge conservative budgeting and to press the board on transparency about available funds.
"You can have money in a budget, it doesn't mean you have to spend it... I think it would be prudent... that you set your readjust your budget so that you are roughly a 105% of the 2025 level and then an additional 3% on top of that for the 2027 portion," Pettit said. He argued budgets should be grounded in known fund balances and cautioned that elected offices might pursue legal remedies if they do not receive adequate support.
Pettit also criticized line-item increases he said were unrelated to the offices that would carry those costs; he urged the board to ensure elected offices and courts receive sufficient funding. Staff and commissioners acknowledged his comments; there was no extended department-by-department response recorded during the session.
After public comment, the board moved to close the budget public hearing and approved the motion by voice vote. Chair Ty Mansour closed the session and asked attendees to return at 9:00 a.m. the next day for further business.
The transcript records Pettit's suggestions and concerns as part of the public record; the board did not adopt budget figures in this session, closing the hearing for the day.
