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Greene County budget office presents recommended 2026 budget with $48.8 million projected cash cushion; no COLA included
Summary
The Greene County budget office delivered a recommended 2026 budget projecting an ending cash balance of about $48.8 million, proposes paying off two bonds in 2026, includes midyear step increases but no general COLA, and flags revenue risks tied to ICE detainee contracts and flat sales-tax assumptions.
Jeff of the Greene County budget office presented the county's recommended 2026 budget on the statutory delivery to the commission, saying the plan would begin 2026 with roughly $46 million in cash and cash equivalents and leave an estimated ending cash balance of $48,821,000.
The presentation framed the recommended budget as a "workable" plan that could be adopted if needed. Jeff said the budget office trimmed the earlier requested package—turning a projected shortfall of $13,529,000 in the requested budget into a $2,825,000 increase under the recommended numbers through expenditure reductions and timing adjustments.
Key elements in the recommendation include a midyear step increase for eligible employees but no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Jeff provided a scale for commissioners to consider: a 1% COLA for general revenue and law-enforcement-sales-tax combined would cost about $751,000; a 3% COLA would be roughly $2.3 million. "There's no COLA in the recommended budget, and that'll be one of the top priorities for commission to look at," he said.
The budget calls for an active drawdown of bond-fund balances in 2026, including calling and paying off the Jamestown and Wilson's Creek bonds. The office projects a current-year cash change in the bond fund of about $21.6 million to cover the payoffs and use remaining bond-fund balances for judicial courts facility upgrades. Jeff cautioned that this strategy improves 2026 cash but reduces the built-up bond balance, meaning larger transfers will be needed in 2027.
Jeff also highlighted several revenue uncertainties commissioners should weigh. The budget relies in part on DOC (Department of Corrections) boarding estimates and a high level of revenue tied to ICE detainees; Jeff asked whether those streams are likely to sustain at current levels and suggested the commission consider treating them as one-time rather than recurring revenues if persistence is uncertain. He also said sales-tax receipts were budgeted flat for 2026 based on a recessionary outlook.
On funds and department-level items, Jeff said Road and Bridge shows a modest fund balance increase, E-911 maintains a strong cash position relative to operating needs, and the assessment fund's requests were pared back after review. He listed about $13.4 million in general-revenue requests and roughly $3.0 million in law-enforcement-sales-tax requests that are not recommended in the current plan and previewed staff and capital items that departments may request during hearings.
Jeff closed with process details: departmental hearings are scheduled Monday (9 a.m.-2 p.m.) and Tuesday (11 a.m.-4 p.m.), changes should be documented by email to staff (Megan or Aubrey) to schedule time with commission, and the office needs all changes resolved by Dec. 26 so the budget book can be prepared for a final public hearing and adoption no later than Jan. 10.
Next procedural steps are departmental hearings and commission decision meetings; no formal vote or ordinance was taken at this delivery presentation.
