Carbon County commissioners voted Dec. 17 to approve amendments to the 2025 budget and to adopt the county's 2026 budget after a public hearing and staff presentation.

Seth (county staff) told the commission the proposed 2025 amendments include a $735,000 increase in the general fund that reflects, among other items, a $500,000 transfer from the general fund to the airport fund to maintain a positive airport fund balance while federal reimbursements are processed. He said most airport project costs are covered by federal or state grants but the transfer ensures cash flow for projects including a fire suppression system and a North Taxi Lane construction.

Seth also said the county increases its opioid-disbursement budgeting to reflect ongoing receipts from litigation settlements, noting the county receives “about 5 to 600,000 a year” that is distributed to mental-health providers, the health department and other agencies addressing addiction. Other amendments included a $367,000 increase in fund 20 to cover sheriff vehicle repairs and a $212,000 allocation toward a previously discussed range-fire mitigation/prevention account, a $25,000 increase for temporary staffing in fund 19 tied to sports programming, and a $700,000 increase in the airport fund (fund 54) primarily tied to the North Taxi Lane project.

At the public hearing, resident David Jell questioned line-item fluctuations and benefit calculations across departments, citing examples in the treasurer's office and drug court. Seth explained some changes reflected altered benefit enrollment (for example, family to single coverage when a dependent ages out) and the county's health-plan tiers, and he clarified that donated search-and-rescue revenues are shown as negative revenue in the accounting system as a function of double-entry bookkeeping.

Seth said the tentative 2026 budget includes a 3.5% pay adjustment for all county employees to "keep up with inflation," and he reported no substantive changes between the tentative and final budget presentations. After discussion the commission voted to approve the 2025 amendments and to adopt the 2026 Carbon County budget by voice vote.

The commission's action finalizes the county's fiscal plan for 2026 and preserves eligibility for several federal and state funding streams that underwrite capital projects and program disbursements.