Finance director: reserves will fall; county may temporarily move funds between subaccounts

Finance Director Hopkinson presented a month’s budget highlights and a reserves forecast at the Kane County Finance & Budget Committee meeting on Nov. 25.

Hopkinson said the general fund’s performance indicates the county will end fiscal 2025 using a sizable portion of reserves, driven partly by the timing of property‑tax receipts and some higher‑than‑expected fee revenues in areas such as court services and recorder/clerk charges. She said overall expenses are trending about 4% under budget, primarily in salaries and wages, while sales tax revenue and some fees are above last year and above budget.

Hopkinson warned that the county’s cash position is seasonal: property tax revenue arrives primarily in June and September, leaving lower cash balances in the spring. She said that if the forecast holds, the county might need a temporary transfer from the special reserve into the general account in May 2026 to avoid a negative balance.

Chair asked staff to prepare a concise, one‑page summary of adopted and amended 2026 revenues, expenses and the amount of reserves being used to make the information available to the public. Hopkinson agreed to provide the summary.

Committee members asked for clarifications on grant application amounts and the sources of specific draft grants listed in the packet; Hopkinson said that some grant details were still being finalized and staff would follow up.