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Houston County adopts 2026 operating budget and sets key salaries; levy reduced to 6%
Summary
The Houston County Board approved the 2026 operating budget with a lowered levy rate (6%), set several appointed and elected salaries (including the county attorney and sheriff at $147,000), and updated commissioners’ per-diem rules and commissioner pay to $23,000.
Houston County’s Board of Commissioners on the morning agenda adopted the county’s 2026 operating budget and approved a series of salary and per‑diem resolutions affecting several county officials.
The board approved a levy adjustment from an earlier 7% figure to 6% and adopted the operating budget as presented. The board’s action included formal salary-setting resolutions: County Attorney Susan Bublitz’s interim salary was set at $147,000 effective Jan. 1, 2026; the county sheriff’s 2026 salary was increased from $141,473 to $147,000; and the Personnel Committee recommendation to set each county commissioner’s annual salary at $23,000 for 2026 was approved. The board also updated commissioner per-diem rules to clarify eligibility and limit per-diem for the regular Tuesday County Board meeting while preserving per-diem for other county business meetings.
Why this matters: the salary and budget decisions determine how department heads and elected officials will staff and prioritize services in 2026. Commissioners spent substantial time debating sheriff-office staffing scenarios tied to a potential contract with Spring Grove (options ranged from a two-officer contract funded by the city to adding deputies to the sheriff’s budget or, alternatively, layoffs if there was no contract). The board ultimately set the sheriff’s budget at the levied amount and directed the sheriff to manage staffing within that appropriation.
Commissioners and staff discussed fund balance uses, impacts to human services and road and bridge funds, and the logistics of adding a Spring Grove public‑safety contract after budget adoption if negotiations concluded later. Finance staff identified specific fund‑balance commitments that will be carried into 2026 for capital projects.
Direct quotes from the meeting highlighted the approach the board took to the deliberations. Chair (Speaker 1) said, “I think we leave the budget as talking about the numbers and letting the sheriff figure out how he's gonna make the work,” signaling the board’s choice to set levy and appropriation levels while allowing the elected sheriff discretion over internal staffing decisions.
The county approved the budget and related resolutions by roll call or voice votes where recorded; several motions produced unanimous support while the commissioners' salary resolution received one recorded “No” vote from District 2.
