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Okanogan County commissioners map options as road fund faces multimillion-dollar gap
Summary
Commissioners were told the road fund faces a roughly $2.5 million shortfall and discussed options including service cuts, use of LATCF, a levy-lid lift for roads, a transportation benefit district, liquidating surplus property and scheduling public meetings to review levels of service with residents.
Commissioners devoted the largest portion of the meeting to a detailed review of county finances and options for bridging a projected road-fund shortfall.
County Engineer Josh Thompson and Commissioner (Speaker 1) told the board that the road fund’s expenses have risen sharply — driven by equipment and material costs — while major revenue streams (property tax, fuel tax and SRS) have been essentially flat. The board heard that, under current projections, the road fund could be roughly $2.5 million short next year unless changes are made.
Commissioner (Speaker 1) said staff had prepared scenarios: maintaining a $3 million carryover to avoid immediate service reductions; cutting up to $2.5 million from the road budget (which could require eliminating some services and up to seven positions); temporarily using LATCF or current‑expense reserves to smooth the transition; or placing a levy‑lid lift for roads on a future ballot. Commissioners discussed other revenue options raised by staff, including updating the county fee schedule, charging for right‑of‑way franchises or exploring a transportation benefit district (a sales‑tax vehicle) but acknowledged these options require statutory and procedural review.
Board members directed staff to hold one or more evening public forums in larger venues so residents can see service-level tradeoffs, and they scheduled initial budget review sessions beginning Oct. 1 (with additional sessions Oct. 6 and other dates proposed) to run detailed department-by-department scenarios and identify non‑discretionary liabilities.
The board was also told to expect an additional potential loss of federal SRS (Secure Rural Schools) revenue that could increase the county’s combined shortfall by roughly $1.3 million; combined with the road shortfall this could raise the county-wide gap toward $4–6 million depending on other outcomes. Commissioners emphasized they would aim to balance this year’s budget with reserves where necessary, then use the coming months to decide permanent programmatic changes for 2027.
What’s next: Commissioners asked staff to present department-level budget comparisons, update fee schedules for cost recovery where appropriate, and run service‑level scenarios for a public forum that explains exactly what levels of service would remain under different funding options.
