Hubbard County adopts $61.6 million 2026 budget and $22.9 million levy; board adjusts per diems and affirms sheriff pay policy
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Summary
The Hubbard County Board approved the final 2026 budget of $61,615,104 and a levy of $22,900,000, approved per diem increases for planning and parks bodies, and discussed placing the sheriff’s pay closer to regional comparators; the board approved the administrator’s combined salary and levy resolution.
Hubbard County commissioners voted to adopt a $61,615,104 budget for 2026 and set a levy of $22,900,000, the county administrator said during the Dec. 17 meeting. Administrator Jeff presented a single combined resolution including the budget, levy, salaries and per diems; the board approved the measure by voice vote.
The administrator said the adopted plan uses some fund balance and budgets wages at 100% rather than assuming typical vacancy savings, and recommended a step increase consistent with the county pay grid. He noted the pay grid’s top of grade listed for the relevant leadership band is $150,607.44. Sheriff Corey, presenting earlier, had asked commissioners to consider aligning elected‑official pay with a nine‑county comparator group; Corey said Hubbard’s sheriff salary is roughly $11,000–$12,000 below that comparison.
Commissioners debated the tradeoffs between improving compensation and the county’s tax burden. One commissioner noted the county policy uses a grid and is not intended as a literal one‑to‑one match for an individual’s pay; others cautioned that across‑the‑board increases can push up levies regionally. The administrator said elected‑official salaries will be set using the same grid and that newly elected officials would be placed on the grid according to experience.
The board also approved several per‑diem adjustments tied to workload and recruitment. The county voted to raise planning‑commission board of adjustment per diem from $180 to $200 per meeting and approved a parks‑board per‑diem increase from $50 to $75; the natural resources manager said those increases were budgeted. The board approved these changes by motion and voice vote.
The resolution bundle passed at the meeting also contains routine salary and per‑diem updates for county employees and elected officials as reflected in the county pay grid and the administrator’s recommendations. Commissioners said the county will continue to monitor budget impacts and levy pressures into the next fiscal cycle.
The board completed the vote on the budget and levy and moved on to other business; the motion to adopt the combined resolution carried by voice vote.