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Washington County committee approves compromise budget package, restores several jobs and shifts IT lines
Summary
The Washington County personnel and finance committee voted to approve a package of staffing and budget adjustments that restores eight positions in social services, moves certain IT support between departments and leaves about $360,000 in contingency ahead of the full board vote.
The Washington County personnel and finance committee on Nov. 13 approved a compromise budget package that restores several positions cut in earlier rounds and reclassifies some information-technology support between the Department of Social Services and central IT, the committee chair said at the meeting.
The committee's finance presenter (Speaker 12) described a plan developed with the new DSS commissioner to add back eight positions while moving IT staff and contracting certain services so the county would retain a chance to recoup reimbursement revenue. "I kind of admire what he's done," Speaker 12 said when presenting the compromise, which the committee approved for referral to the full board.
Why it matters: Supervisors said the choice reflects competing priorities: maintain core services and preserve jobs, while trying to hold the county's projected tax increase under control. Committee discussion centered on whether moving an IT position from DSS to IT would cost the county in gross dollars while potentially preserving reimbursement revenue tied to DSS programs.
Details and dissent: Committee members pressed for clearer, quantifiable savings. Some members warned that restoring positions could increase the levy next year; others argued the restorations reduce layoffs and protect service delivery. "We're trying to keep most of these jobs that we were going to cut," Speaker 12 said, adding that the package keeps a three-year plan intact. The compromise was described as increasing the contingency account to roughly $360,000 pending final reconciliation.
Next steps: The committee approved the package and will forward finalized resolutions to the full Board of Supervisors for action at the next meeting. The county treasurer and department heads were asked to provide follow-up numbers, including detailed cost and reimbursement estimates, before the board vote.
