Norfolk County staff present FY27 budget timetable; departments asked to submit budgets by Feb. 3

Director John Cronin presented the Norfolk County Commission with FY27 budget development guidelines and a timetable on Jan. 7, asking all department heads to submit budget requests by Feb. 3, 2026.

Cronin said revenue for FY26 is meeting benchmarks and advised departments to plan conservatively, noting limited expectation for new growth into FY27. The guidelines ask departments to include a 3% cost-of-living allowance for union and nonunion employees in their requests, while acknowledging that pending collective-bargaining agreements may alter final figures.

The proposed schedule calls for three weeks of department presentations to the commissioners beginning Feb. 18 and continuing through March 4, a public hearing on March 11, a planned commission vote on a balanced FY27 budget on March 25, and consideration by the finance committee and advisory board on April 15 and May 13 respectively.

Commissioners asked whether dates such as the May 13 advisory-board consideration were statutory or customary; Cronin replied the dates follow past practice and are not statutorily fixed. Commissioners also raised timing concerns tied to transitions at the schools; staff agreed to work with departments to provide needed flexibility.

The commission accepted the timeline and Cronin said he would distribute the guidance memo to department heads following the meeting.